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Despite Wesley Sneijder's dismissal in the first half-hour, Inter defeated Milan 2-0 with Diego Milito and Goran Pandev, as Ronaldinho's penalty was saved. It extends their lead at the top to nine points, even though the Rossoneri have a game in hand.
This was a head-to-head between the top two teams, city rivals and two opposing philosophies of football. Leonardo's entertainers were the form side going in, having won three on the trot with 12 goals scored and two conceded. The Nerazzurri had recently stuttered to results against Siena and Bari thanks to late comebacks.
Earlier this season Inter triumphed 4-0 after Gennaro Gattuso's dismissal, but the derby hasn't ended in a draw since October 2004, followed by six wins apiece. As for the 'away' game, Milan had lost four on the bounce and last shared the spoils in a 2-2 result in March 1999, when Leonardo scored.
Samuel Eto'o is still on Africa Cup of Nations duty, while Cristian Chivu and Dejan Stankovic were injured. The Rossoneri missed Alexandre Pato, Massimo Oddo, Gianluca Zambrotta and Alessandro Nesta failed a last-minute fitness test, so Giuseppe Favalli was in central defence.
Wesley Sneijder was a risk with flu, but he showed he was feeling good with a stunning half-volley from 25 metres that clipped the top of the far post just two minutes in.
It was fiery from the start, as David Beckham went into the boook for bringing down Esteban Cambiasso less than three minutes after kick-off. Soon after Goran Pandev's shot was charged down outside the area and turned into an assist for Sneijder, but Nelson Dida parried with his trailing foot from close range.
The Nerazzurri had the better chances early on and broke through with Diego Milito. Ignazio Abate did not deal with a Pandev ball over the top, so Milito smashed an angled drive into the far bottom corner.
Inter went on another counter with Pandev spreading it down the right flank for Milito and Dida beat away the shot at the near post.
Both Marco Borriello and Massimo Ambrosini hesitated and let a promising move go to waste, then an acrobatic clearance prevented Borriello finishing off a fine team move.
Lucio was booked for simulation in midfield after he fell very late from an Ambrosini challenge and Sneijder sarcastically applauded the referee and insulted him for a good 15 seconds, earning himself a red card. It was a very controversial incident overall, as Lucio stumbled and a booking was rather harsh, but it should be noted Sneijder had hurled abuse at the official moments earlier when the referee got in his way.
The tension exploded, as Favalli was booked for going through the back of Milito and Abate wasted a good chance by scuffing his shot. Ronaldinho's attempted overhead kick was intercepted, he claimed by Douglas Maicon's hand, but the referee waved play on.
Muntari was booked for hacking down Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo's resulting free kick was deflected over the bar. Pandev fell under pressure from Abate, but the referee waved away pealty appeals, which to be fair were from Milito and not the Macedonian, as contact was minimal.
Pirlo drilled over from distance, but 10-man Inter held on to their lead going into the break. Clarence Seedorf replaced Gattuso for the second half and almost immediately they nearly equalised, as Seedorf nodded Beckham's corner on to Julio Cesar's legs. The move continued and Ronaldinho volleyed just wide.
Pirlo and Antonini combined for Walter Samuel to charge down Borriello's shot, as the Nerazzurri were now pinned back into their own half. Lucio did just enough to block Thiago Silva's header from a Beckham cross.
On the counter Milito was eventually too tired to trouble Dida. At the other end Julio Cesar was uncertain on Borriello's head and flapped it out for a corner when it was probably going wide anyway. He was more secure on another Borriello header, then at the end of a well-worked move the Italian nodded Beckham's cross over from six yards.
However, under siege Inter had the best chance to make it 2-0! On 62 minutes Milito went on the counter from a Milan corner and timed his pass perfectly for Pandev to spring the offside trap, but the ex-Lazio striker hit the outside of the post one-on-one with Dida.
Favalli risked a second booking for his challenge on Maicon, but the referee noticed that he pulled out of the tackle. From that same free kick, Pandev curled a free kick in at the near post to double Inter's lead right when they were struggling. Replays suggest Dida could've got to it, but was unsighted by the wall. Pandev's substitution with Thiago Motta was delayed so that he could take that set play.
Antonini clattered head-first into an advertising board and made way for Marek Jankulovski, as Milan continued to dominate without being able to make a dent in the defence.
Leonardo had to gamble and opted for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in place of Ambrosini, effectively a 4-2-4 system. Balotelli came on for an exhausted Milito and he flashed a deflected shot across the face of goal after Javier Zanetti won back the ball.
Ronaldinho ballooned over on the volley from the edge of the box after a defensive header to intercept Borriello. It was a siege with crosses raining in that the Inter defence dealt with brilliantly.
From a corner Pirlo also blasted wide under pressure from Samuel, as once again Milan did everything right until they got into the box. When they did have a great chance at the 90th with a Seedorf ball over the top for Huntelaar's volley, Julio Cesar blocked with his legs.
The move continued and Lucio parried a shot with his arm, leading to a penalty and second yellow card. Ronaldinho stepped up, but Julio Cesar rescued nine-man Inter by saving the spot-kick low to his right!
In fact, it was nearly 3-0 when Maicon dispossessed Jankulovski to test Dida from close range.
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