The Rossoneri were dealt a gut-punch before kick-off when dangerman Rafael Leão failed a late fitness test, and the heavy shots kept on landing once the game got underway.
There were just over 10 minutes on the clock when the hosts stood bewildered, staring down the barrel of a two-goal deficit in the club’s first Champions League semi-final appearance since 2007.
Džeko set the wheels in motion by volleying in from a corner, but Henrikh Mkhitaryan ghosting into the box and sweeping past Mike Maignan moments later sparked genuine shock inside a charged-up San Siro.
Smelling blood, Hakan Çalhanoğlu almost left his former club in the dust within a quarter of an hour by clattering the post with a long-range effort, and the sight of Ismaël Bennacer hobbling off injured symbolised a miserable start for the Rossoneri.
Davide Calabria’s clever flick into the side-netting was about all AC Milan managed in a one-sided first period, which could have seen Inter sail even further into the distance, but for referee Jesús Gil Manzano’s decision to overturn a soft penalty after Lautaro Martínez went down in the box.
A half-time hammering from Stefano Pioli seemed to do the trick for Milan, who came out swinging through Brahim Díaz and Junior Messias, although their curling left-footed efforts both drifted wide of the far post.
Despite a short burst of belief, the pendulum soon swung back towards Inter as Džeko spurned a golden opportunity to bag his second of the evening, firing a close-range effort straight at Maignan.
While there was still time for Sandro Tonali to produce the Rossoneri’s best moment of the game, thumping the base of the post with a low drive, their overall lack of cutting edge without Leão was plain to see.
Although the tie is far from over, defeat will be extra painful for Pioli, who was axed as Inter manager six years ago yesterday.
The Nerazzurri have now won six matches on the spin, which should give manager Simone Inzaghi confidence heading into the second leg, and a potential final with either Real Madrid or Manchester City.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Inter Milan)
