American star Christian Pulisic doubled his goals for the first time in a league season after his goal started AC Milan’s 3-0 win over 10-man Lecce in Serie A on Saturday.
Pulisic’s first goal and tenth in the Italian league surpassed his nine goals in the 2019-20 English Premier League with Chelsea. The winger also has three goals in Europe and had already improved his overall record.
Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leão also scored against Lecce, who played the entire second half with ten men after striker Nikola Krstović was sent off.
Milan may even make adjustments in the second half, keeping in mind Thursday’s Europa League quarterfinal against Roma. Roma beat Lazio 1-0 in the capital derby later on Saturday.
Second-placed Milan closed the gap to Serie A leaders Inter Milan to 11 points ahead of the Nerazzurri’s match against Udinese on Monday.
Lecce remained four points above the relegation zone.
On a hot, sunny day at San Siro, Samuel Chukwueze did well to cut down the right and beat two defenders before locating Pulisic on the edge of the box. The American controlled the ball and unleashed an unstoppable left-footed shot.
With less than six minutes on the clock. Pulisic almost doubled his tally immediately, but Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone saved the header from close range.
Milan had the moment in the 20th minute when Yacine Adli fired in a corner from the left and Giroud headed just wide of the post.
Lecce came close to cutting the deficit but Joan Gonzalez’s header went over the bar and the visitors’ chances were reduced just before the break when Krstović showed a straight red card for a great tackle on Chukwueze.
Milan sealed the match in the 57th minute after Leão ran to a Theo Hernandez ball and fired it into the back corner.
Hernandez also hit the crossbar seven minutes later after Milan coach Stefano Pioli brought on Pulisic, Giroud and Matteo Gabbia in a triple substitution.
FIRST DERBY AS A MANAGER
Former Roma captain Daniele De Rossi won his first capital derby as a coach to end his side’s dismal run in the Derby della Capitale.
Roma hadn’t won or scored in the derby since a win in March 2022. This was followed by 3 defeats and a draw, plus a Coppa Italia defeat in January that would take away coach Jose Mourinho’s job.
Lazio had an even coach after the arrival of Igor Tudor last month.
Gianluca Mancini scored the only goal shortly before half-time when he headed in a Paulo Dybala corner.
Stephan El Shaarawy hit Roma’s post in the second half, and Daichi Kamada saw what would have been the equalizer, sent off for offside.
Roma and England striker Tammy Abraham came on with nine minutes remaining in his first appearance since tearing his cruciate ligaments in last season’s final game.
Fifth-placed Roma moved two points behind Bologna and nine ahead of seventh-placed Lazio.
CRUCIAL VICTORY
M’Baye Niang’s stoppage-time goal allowed Empoli to end a four-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over Turin to move out of the relegation zone.
Turin equalized twice thanks to a header from Duvan Zapata. His moment gave the impression of giving the visitors a point in the first minute of stoppage time, but Niang scored 3 minutes later.
Empoli, who had also failed to score a goal in those four defeats, moved three points clear of the back 3. Turin remains ninth.
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