Inter Milan fought back from a goal down to secure a dramatic 1-1 draw against AC Milan in the Derby della Madonnina at San Siro on Sunday.
Stefan de Vrij struck deep into added time to deny Milan a third successive win over their city rivals, as Inter missed the opportunity to move to the top of the Serie A table.
With the result, Inter remain second on 51 points, while Milan sit eighth with 35 points.
The game started cautiously, with both teams struggling for fluency in possession.
Inter found the net twice in the first half, but goals from Federico Dimarco and Lautaro Martinez were both ruled out for offside.
Despite a largely uneventful opening, the match came to life when Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer had to react quickly to palm away a thunderous shot from Tijjani Reijnders. However, just before halftime, Milan broke the deadlock.
Sommer initially parried a strike from Rafael Leao, but the rebound fell inside the six-yard box, allowing Reijnders to smash his effort into the roof of the net and give Milan the lead.
Inter came out with intent after the break, forcing Mike Maignan into a crucial save with his legs to deny Martinez in the opening moments.
The Nerazzurri thought they had equalized again, but Denzel Dumfries was adjudged to have fouled Theo Hernandez before Yann Bisseck saw his powerful header rattle the post.
Manager Simone Inzaghi turned to his bench for inspiration, introducing multiple substitutes, including Nicola Zalewski, who had only completed his loan move from Roma the night before.
Milan’s defense, featuring debutant Kyle Walker, remained resilient under intense pressure. Marcus Thuram came close when his volley crashed off the post, while Dumfries’ towering header struck the woodwork in added time.
With Inter throwing everything forward, their persistence finally paid off. A cross from Bisseck found Zalewski at the back post, and after he chested the ball down, De Vrij struck a first-time effort past Maignan, ensuring Inter extended their unbeaten league run to 17 matches.