AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli missed a handful of chances in his first derby in over three years as the Rossoneri shared the spoils in a 1-1 derby draw with hosts Inter Milan at the San Siro on Sunday.

Milan took a 21st minute lead through striker Stephan El Shaarawy and dominated throughout before ultimately lamenting their earlier misses when Inter midfielder Ezequiel Schelotto leveled in the 71st minute.

The visitors started the second Milan Derby as firm favorites having stunned Barcelona 2-0 in their Champions League first leg here last week and climbed up to third place in the table.

Milan dominated from the outset but the visitors spurned the first of several early chances, Balotelli slipping in front of goal after Kevin-Prince Boateng had left Mattia de Sciglio's cross from the left wing at his feet. Milan's opener was not long in coming. When former Milan striker Antonio Cassano lost possession in midfield, Boateng collected and coolly sent El Shaarawy through to beat Samir Handanvoic with an angled shot with the outside of his boot.

Milan threatened again when Balotelli rose to meet a corner from the right which had Handanovic scrambling for the ball on the goal line. Balotelli's third clear chance followed moments later when he toe-poked a probing ball into the box only for it to be cleared.

Handanovic easily collected Balotelli's header from Ignazio Abbate's cross from the right but on 40 minutes the keeper was at full stretch to parry when Balotelli thumped a free kick from 30 meters out.

Milan threatened from the outset of the second half, Boateng flashing a header wide from Riccardo Montolivo's free kick on the right after El Shaarawy had been hauled down.

Freddy Guarin gave Inter's fans hope when he first-timed Rodrigo Palacio's whipped cross in from the right only for Christian Abbiati to pull off a superb save at full stretch.

Milan were still dominating, but the visitors were stunned in the 71st minute when Schelotto got on the end of Yuto Nagatomo's cross to stun Abbiati only two minutes after replacing Esteban Cambiasso.

Inter had the momentum and moments later Palacio's header to the right of Abbiati's goal had the keeper scrambling, although at the other end Sulley Muntari sent a looping shot just to the right of an outstretched Handanovic.

Milan regrouped to dominate the final quarter hour, with El Shaarawy's ambitious bicycle kick blocked and then M'Baye Niang, who replaced Boateng with 10 minutes to go, seeing his low strike meet traffic in the area.

However, the Rossoneri were lucky not to suffer a late Inter goal against the run of play when Palacio saw a header go close.

AFP - Global Times