Tag: Edin Dzeko

Inter jumps all over AC Milan in Champions League semifinal first leg

Inter is in charge of the biggest Derby della Madonnina in 20 years

The Champions League version of the Derby della Madonnina was a dream for the blue half of Milan.

Inter scored two first-half goals to down AC Milan 2-0 in the first leg of their semifinal, with Edin Džeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan turning their side’s early dominance into a significant edge at the San Siro.

“It feels very good, especially because it’s a derby. We played away on paper. It’s a great result for us,” Džeko told BT Sport after the match. “Sometimes you get in this difficult moment where the ball doesn’t want to go in. Patience and work always pays off. I was calm knowing the goals would come as always. Today is the proof.”

Playing what is technically their home leg in a stadium the two teams share, AC Milan’s misery began in the eighth minute, with Džeko conjuring up a thunderous volley on an Inter corner kick.

On the positive side for the Rossoneri? UEFA has ditched the away goals rule. However, the negatives cover just about everything else, as Inter’s high pressure appeared to catch them off-guard throughout the first half. With stars Rafael Leão and Zlatan Ibrahimovic watching from the stands, AC Milan offered little threat of a comeback.

Inter made their superiority count, going up 2-0 just three minutes later. Federico DiMarco burst into space on the left before cutting the ball across the top of the box for Lautaro Martínez. The World Cup winner dummied the ball on for Mkhitaryan, who finished the move off with a powerful shot.

Things could have been worse, with Martínez initially winning a first-half penalty kick only for VAR to overturn the initial decision. Later, Inter felt hard done by after Rade Krunić was shown on replay to possibly strike Alessandro Bastoni with a closed fist while defending a set piece. No call was made, and on this occasion VAR didn’t intervene.

This was the biggest Milan derby in 20 years, when these teams met at this exact stage of the 2002-03 Champions League. Back then, AC Milan benefitted from the away goals rule, going through despite a 1-1 aggregate scoreline because their goal came in Inter’s “home” leg.

Despite the chances that they can avenge that particular outcome being high at this point, Džeko rejected the idea that Inter would ease up in the second leg.

“We’re an experienced team. We know what we’ve done today,” said the Bosnia and Herzegovina striker. “Nothing is yet finished. In the Champions League only great teams arrive in the semi-finals, so we have to be careful and concentrate like today.”

[lawrence-related id=18957,19238,14733]

Bosnia scheduled a friendly vs. Russia and its two biggest stars are not happy

Edin Džeko and Miralem Pjanić were not pleased their federation scheduled a match in St. Petersburg

Edin Džeko and Miralem Pjanić have both voiced their disapproval after Bosnia and Herzegovina scheduled a friendly against Russia.

Bosnia and Herzegovina announced this week that it will travel to St. Petersburg for a match on November 19, one day before World Cup 2022 kicks off.

Russia won’t be at the World Cup after the country was disqualified from this spring’s playoff round as punishment for its invasion of Ukraine.

Džeko, the country’s captain, sounds like he may boycott the trip to Russia entirely, telling Bosnian news website Klix: “I am against the playing of this match; I am always and only for peace.

“I have my position which is clear and which does not include playing this match, while innocent people are suffering. I stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in these difficult times for them.”

Pjanić sounded a similar note, telling Bosnian media: “The decision is not good. I am speechless. In the national FA, they know what I think.”

Russia played its most recent match in November 2021 and is still banned from FIFA and UEFA competition. Russia will, however, end its run without any games this month when it faces Kyrgyzstan in a friendly on September 24, with a friendly against Iran in November also on the schedule.

[lawrence-related id=7066,7063]