AC Milan vs. Inter: Score, Grades and Reaction from 2015 ICC

AC Milan scored a 1-0 victory over rivals Inter Milan in the opening match of the Chinese edition of the 2015 International Champions Cup on Saturday. Philippe Mexes scored the game's only goal with a wonder strike shortly after the hour mark.

Although it's only the preseason, taking part in a Derby della Madonnina brought a little extra intensity to the match despite the makeshift lineups. Milan head coach Sinisa Mihajlovic talked before the fixture about trying to set a new tone, as noted by the club's official site.

"I would like to get used to winning the derby straight away. I expect improvements in every area, even when it comes to character," he said. "You don't play in derbies, you win them. Let's try to win one straight away, it will not be easy but we are Milan and we always have to play to win."

The Rossoneri emerged as the more active side in the early going. They controlled the majority of the possession inside the first half hour and created a couple of looks at goal. The best chance during the stretch came from M'Baye Niang, who broke free but couldn't beat Juan Pablo Carrizo from close range.

Milan should have grabbed the lead in the 39th minute. Alessandro Matri and Niang beat a high offside trap from Inter and raced into the box all alone, but Matri delivered the ball behind the forward and without enough pace, allowing the Nerazzurri to recover and clear the danger.

The action slowed down during the latter stages of the half as a hot, humid day in Shenzhen started to take its toll on both clubs. They entered the locker rooms for halftime deadlocked at zero.

The Kilpin Chronicle wrapped up the opening 45 minutes:

Inter Offside wasn't impressed by the form of either side:

Milan made eight substitutions coming out of the break, while Inter stuck with their starting lineup for an additional 15 minutes before the wholesale changes began around the hour mark.

Mexes finally broke the scoreless tie in the 62nd minute.

Jose Mauri had a promising attempt blocked out for a corner by the Inter defense. The ensuing delivery to the top of the box seemed harmless, but Mexes unleashed an extraordinary volley that left Carrizo with no hope of making a save.

Wide World of Sports spotlighted the play:

OptaPaolo provided a note about the game-winning goal:

The Nerazzurri played the final minutes of the match with an extra man after Antonio Nocerino got sent off for a reckless challenge from behind on Geoffrey Kondogbia. It's rare to see that type of aggression in a preseason match, and it certainly warranted the red card.

Inter couldn't take advantage, however, as Milan saw out the remaining minutes to earn the victory. It wasn't a technical masterpiece by any stretch, but Mihajlovic got the win he wanted.

AC Milan celebrated the triumph:

Looking ahead, Inter return to action on Monday for their second and final game of the event against Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid. That should serve as a much-needed defensive test for the Nerazzurri as the preseason preparations ramp up.

Milan also face off with Los Blancos to complete the round-robin tournament on Thursday. The Rossoneri will be looking to showcase a far better final touch in the attacking third in that clash. They let too many chances slip away against Inter.

The rivals are set to face off again before the preseason comes to a close. The next matchup is slated for the TIM Trophy event back in Italy on Aug. 12.

Grades for Key Players

Keisuke Honda (AC Milan): B+

The Japanese attacking midfielder put together a workmanlike performance. He pushed forward effectively in the first half, creating several chances with pinpoint deliveries. The lack of finishing left him without a deserved assist or two before exiting at the half.

Philippe Mexes (AC Milan): A-

It didn't take long for the halftime substitute to make an impact. His goal off the corner will be one of the best the club score all season, as the timing and placement were impeccable. He also did well to defend as Inter pushed for an equalizer in the final 20 minutes.

Marco Andreolli (Inter): B-

The veteran center back did well while leading a mostly reserve lineup. The Inter defense found itself under pressure quite often but held its shape and kept the game close throughout. He wasn't at fault for the only goal Milan did score.

Samuele Longo (Inter): C

Roberto Mancini handed the 23-year-old striker a chance to start atop the formation. He responded with a mostly invisible performance. Surely part of that was due to the side's struggles to retain possession for extended stretches, but he failed to make an impact when chances did arise.

Post-Match Reaction

Mihajlovic said after the match that he emerged happy with the consistent attacking presence, but noted there's still plenty of room for improvement, per Football Italia.

"We have work to do and know that we must defend better on set plays, as on every dead ball situation everyone has to know what they are supposed to be doing, ready to block off potential counter-attacks," the Milan coach said. "The important thing is to change mentality and play to win, whether it's against Inter or any other team."

Mancini explained he isn't overly concerned with the final result at this stage, instead discussing the side's overall effort and the reason for the lineup juggling, via the club's official site.

"I'm pleased with the way we performed today, even if we did end up losing the match. The main thing was seeing improvement. You can't expect to be 100 percent at this stage of the season," he said. "We've got two games in the last 48 hours—that's why I changed the team around after 60 minutes. We need it make sure we don't pick up any injuries and we didn't want to run any risks."

Both sides can take some positives away from the fixture. Even so, both bosses will want to see continued progress toward top form on the training ground and in the remaining preseason matches. Neither squad came anywhere close to that level on Saturday.

Getting a chance to face a perennial European contender like Real Madrid should benefit both Italian clubs in the coming days. It's another good litmus test for how much work needs to get done before the matches start to count.