The Nerazzurri were caught cold, conceding to Christian Pulisic and Adrien Rabiot inside the opening 10 minutes. Diego Moreira set up both goals, tormenting Carlos Augusto down Inter's left before Chivu's men had settled.
Inter hit back in the 22nd minute, when Alessandro Bastoni nodded in from close range after Manuel Akanji flicked on Hakan Calhanoglu's corner. Djed Spence was denied an equaliser by a stunning Mike Maignan save on 35 minutes, and Moreira made them pay with a superb direct free-kick in the 43rd minute.
The visitors had 57 per cent of the ball and 19 shots, but Maignan made seven saves in total to keep them at bay after the break. Inter were also awarded a penalty midway through the second half, only for the decision to be overturned after a VAR review. Below, GOAL rates the Inter players from San Siro.
Goalkeeper & Defence
Josep Martinez - 5/10 Josep Martinez was beaten three times from just four Milan shots on target. He could do little about the finishes from Pulisic and Rabiot, and Moreira's free-kick was arrowed into the top corner beyond his reach. He made only one save all night, from Alphadjo Cisse in stoppage time.
Yann Bisseck - 5/10 Yann Bisseck could not reach the cross that Pulisic headed in for the opener, and Moreira's free-kick also sailed over his head in the wall. He had a big chance of his own on 13 minutes, but Maignan saved his close-range header. He was replaced by Ange-Yoan Bonny on 82 minutes as Inter chased the game.
Related Topics
Manuel Akanji - 7/10 Manuel Akanji was Inter's best performer. He flicked on the corner for Bastoni's goal and earlier set up Bisseck's header on 13 minutes. He also cleared a dangerous Moreira ball from the byline and dragged a late chance wide on 84 minutes.
Alessandro Bastoni - 7/10 Alessandro Bastoni scored Inter's goal with a close-range header and kept pushing forward from the left of the back three. He was replaced by Federico Dimarco on 81 minutes.
Midfield
Carlos Augusto - 6/10 Carlos Augusto had a night of mixed fortunes. His low cross set up Spence's big chance on 35 minutes, and he later picked out Marcus Thuram for a header, but he missed a glorious diving header from close range on 56 minutes. Moreira skinned him for the opener, and the corner that led to the second goal came off him. He was booked in the 90th minute for a reckless lunge on Omari Hutchinson.
Petar Sucic - 6/10 Petar Sucic worked hard in midfield and forced Maignan into a save from the edge of the area on 41 minutes. He also set up Calhanoglu's long-range effort midway through the first half.
Hakan Calhanoglu - 6/10 Hakan Calhanoglu's set-pieces were a constant threat, and his corner led to Bastoni's goal. He forced Maignan into two saves in quick succession midway through the first half against his former club, but he was kept quiet in open play. He was replaced by Piotr Zielinski on 72 minutes.
Nicolo Barella - 6/10 Nicolo Barella tried to drive the team forward from midfield. The captain had Inter's best chance of the second half on 67 minutes, but his shot from 10 yards was blocked by Sankhoun Diawara. He made way for Francesco Pio Esposito on 82 minutes.
Djed Spence - 6/10 Djed Spence offered pace down the right on his full Serie A debut, getting past Diawara and Pavlovic early on to win a corner. He should have equalised on 35 minutes, but Maignan produced a stunning reaction save to deny him from six yards.
Attack
Andy Diouf - 6/10 Andy Diouf tested Maignan twice from distance, in the 31st and 55th minutes, and set up efforts for Barella and Augusto, but his link-up play with Thuram was patchy. He made way for Henrikh Mkhitaryan on 72 minutes.
Marcus Thuram - 6/10 Marcus Thuram was isolated for long spells against Milan's backline. He teed up shots for Sucic and Diouf and saw a 70th-minute header saved by Maignan, but he never found a clear sight of goal.
Substitutes & Manager
Piotr Zielinski - 6/10 Piotr Zielinski replaced Calhanoglu on 72 minutes and kept the ball moving, dragging a late shot from distance wide.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan - 6/10 Henrikh Mkhitaryan came on for Diouf on 72 minutes, and his cross led to the penalty that was overturned by VAR. He also headed wide from a good position.
Federico Dimarco - 6/10 Federico Dimarco replaced Bastoni on 81 minutes and brought extra quality from set-pieces and crosses, setting up Akanji's late chance, but it came too late.
Ange-Yoan Bonny - 6/10 Ange-Yoan Bonny replaced Bisseck on 82 minutes and was busy, having a shot blocked and crossing for Esposito's late header.
Francesco Pio Esposito - 6/10 Francesco Pio Esposito came on for Barella on 82 minutes, set up two efforts and headed Inter's last chance wide in stoppage time.
Cristian Chivu (Manager) - 4/10 Cristian Chivu will be questioned over his side's slow start, with Inter two goals down inside 10 minutes. Inter had more of the ball, but Chivu's side were outmanoeuvred by Ruben Amorim's Milan, and he waited until the 72nd minute to make his first changes.