Top News

Friendly: Milan 1-1 Inter as Australian derby finishes level
Deepa Krishnaswamy | August 6, 2026 3:36 PM CST

Christopher Nkunku’s softly-awarded penalty cancelled out Federico Dimarco’s opener as Inter and Milan played out a 1-1 draw in a pre-season friendly in Perth.

There were several tributes before kick-off in memory of iconic Rossoneri captain Franco Baresi, including a minute’s silence with all the players gathered around his jersey, while the Milan players also wore his Number 6 shirt. The match was then stopped again in the sixth minute for another moment of remembrance.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 05: FC Internazionale and AC Milan observe a minute’s silence during the pre-season match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Optus Stadium on August 05, 2026 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images)

Francesco Camarda and Davide Bartesaghi somehow both failed to apply the decisive touch to a Samuel Chukwueze cross at the far post, before Yunus Musah struck the upright from what was virtually an open goal after a Ruben Loftus-Cheek pull-back.

Francesco Pio Esposito’s acrobatic volley brought out a difficult save, while Piotr Zielinski also tested the goalkeeper with a flick from 12 yards.

Inter took the lead through a neatly constructed move, with young substitute Matteo Lavelli moving the ball out to the right for Nicolò Barella, who squared it for Federico Dimarco to tap in from six yards.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 05: Federico Dimarco of FC Internazionale celebrates with his team-mates after scoring during the pre-season match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Optus Stadium on August 05, 2026 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)

Christopher Nkunku tried his luck from distance, but Esposito and Henrikh Mkhitaryan both dragged wide from promising positions, with Milan finding it difficult to defend on their left flank once Pervis Estupinan was introduced.

Ruben Amorim made eight substitutions at once on the hour mark, among them Luka Modric, Rafael Leao and Goncalo Ramos.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 05: Luka Modric of AC Milan runs onto the field during the pre-season match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Optus Stadium on August 05, 2026 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images)

Lavelli broke forward on the counter for Inter and forced Lorenzo Torriani into a fingertip save with an angled effort, while Goncalo Ramos saw a shot pushed away at the near post.

Rafael Leao and Goncalo Ramos linked up encouragingly and tested Ivan Provedel, but Milan were awarded a rather soft penalty when Christopher Nkunku went down under minimal pressure from Carlos Augusto. Nkunku stepped up himself and smashed the spot-kick into the roof of the net.

Inter continued to push, with Torriani getting down to turn a Henrikh Mkhitaryan snapshot past the post, while a clearly dazed Yann Bisseck had to be helped off the pitch after Estupinan crashed into the back of his head in an incident worthy of a booking.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 05: Aleksandar Stankovic turns with the ball during the pre-season match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Optus Stadium on August 05, 2026 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)

Dimarco 53 (I), Nkunku pen 84 (M)

Milan: Torriani; Tomori (F Terracciano 63), Gabbia (De Winter 63), Pavlovic (Vladimirov 63); Chukwueze (Saelemaekers 63), Musah (Modric 63), Fofana (Jashari 63), Bartesaghi (Estupinan 46); Cissè (Nkunku 46), Loftus-Cheek (Leao 63); Camarda (G Ramos 63)

Inter: J Martinez (Provedel 71); Pavard (Bovio 76), Bisseck (Mosconi 95), Bastoni (Carlos Augusto 71); Diouf (Luis Henrique 71), Barella (Frattesi 71), Stankovic (Mkhitaryan 46), Zielinski (Calhanoglu 71), Dimarco (Maye 80); Pio Esposito (Bonny 71), Iddrissou (Lavelli 46)


READ NEXT
Cancel OK