AC Milan Triumphs in Coppa Italia
In a decisive performance on Tuesday, AC Milan triumphed 3-0 over Lecce in a Coppa Italia clash, thanks in large part to Christian Pulisic’s pivotal contribution. This victory propels Milan into the round of 16, with Pulisic netting his 60th professional goal in Europe, marking a significant milestone in his career.
Match Highlights
Santiago Gimenez opened the scoring for Milan in the 20th minute with a precise one-touch shot, assisted by Davide Bartesaghi. Following Gimenez’s lead, Pulisic struck after Lecce’s Jamil Siebert was red-carded for a foul on Christopher Nkunku, effectively tilting the match in Milan’s favor. Pulisic’s goal came when he deftly redirected a cross from Youssouf Fofana shortly after entering the match, boosting his tally to 14 goals this season across all competitions—making him the top scorer for the team.
Nkunku, who joined Milan from Chelsea in August, added another goal in the second half with an impressive acrobatic shot, which marked his first since his transfer. This recent success comes on the heels of Pulisic’s standout performance against Udinese, where he scored twice and provided an assist, becoming a crucial player for Milan.
Looking Ahead
With this win, Milan aims for the Coppa Italia trophy, which could represent their best opportunity for silverware this season. They are set to clash with Lazio, who received a bye in the earlier rounds due to their strong league performance.
Serie A Performance
In Serie A, Milan’s journey has been rocky; after an initial loss, they have now secured three consecutive league victories and are enjoying a four-match winning streak in all tournaments. Conversely, Lecce struggles remain, as they sit at the bottom of Serie A with just one point from their opening four matches.
Future Developments
Meanwhile, both AC Milan and Inter Milan have taken steps to potentially design a new stadium, aligning with architectural firms Foster + Partners and Manica, pending approval from the city council for the sale of the iconic San Siro.
Milan’s season has been fraught with challenges, notably missing out on European competition after finishing eighth the previous season in Serie A. Since returning as coach, Massimiliano Allegri has emphasized the importance of the Italian Cup in their quest for redemption, especially after his suspension during last season’s cup final while at Juventus.
