After struggling for much of the 2024-25 season, AC Milan has found its stride at the perfect time. For a second Serie A match in a row, Milan overcame a 1-0 deficit to notch a 3-1 win, with the comeback catalyzed by Christian Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez. The United States international star brought things level in the 73rd minute by playing the ball into the Mexico striker’s path for a tidy finish, before pouncing on a loose ball in the box to flip the result six minutes later. Giminez put things beyond doubt in stoppage time.
The win gives Milan its fourth league win in its last five matches, a stretch which has seen Sergio Conceição switch to a 3-4-3 after spending his first nearly four months on the job with a four-man defense. On Friday, Pulisic played alongside Joao Felix in the channel, playing not as wingers but instead as a pair of attacking midfielders. The alteration was partially necessitated by Rafael Leao’s absence, as the first-choice left winger missed this match due to suspension for yellow card accumulation.
The match was the first of a pivotal and rare back-to-back between Milan and Bologna, who will face off in the neutral site final of the Coppa Italia on Wednesday. The winner of that match will automatically qualify for the league phase of the 2025-26 Europa League. However, each club remains in contention to qualify for European competition via the Serie A table — a fact that was nearly unimaginable for Milan until the past few weeks.
The first half was largely cagey, with neither team wanting to make a costly mistake to hand over momentum. Both sides had to remove a center back in the opening 31 minutes due to injury: Fikayo Tomori of Milan, who took an elbow to his head after rising to clear a cross, and Martin Erlic of Bologna, who was clutching his lower leg after trying to backtrack while defending.
Santiago Giminez was on target as AC Milan came from behind. (Francesco Scaccianoce / Getty Images)
Although the visitors carried a 6-4 advantage in first-half attempts, it was Milan who arguably enjoyed the two most promising looks. Pulisic was bearing down on goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski before his shot was blocked by veteran defender Lorenzo De Silvestri, while Luka Jovic — who has now started five of Milan’s last six Serie A contests — had a 19th minute attempt saved from less than five yards out.
Shortly after Jovic’s inability to convert, a nervous silence cast a pall throughout the San Siro. A Milan capo could be heard bellowing to the crowd through the match broadcast, with commentators translating that they had begged the fans to create an atmosphere to fuel their side. And yet, the hosts could manage just one more shot before halftime after this rallying cry, a speculative effort from Álex Jiménez that was easily blocked by a defender.
With both teams needing a win to bolster their European hopes regardless of the Coppa Italia’s conclusion, it was the visitors who took the initiative in the 49th minute. De Silvestri sent a long pass from his right defensive half-space, finding center forward Thijs Dallinga for a flick-on header. The ball went right into Riccardo Orsolini’s path, who cut back to create separation from his defensive mark before cooly curling a shot beyond Mike Maignon at the goalkeeper’s far post.
The next 20 minutes resembled the first half’s tense state, as Bologna leant into its defensive structure while Milan struggled to create opportunities. After a Bologna turnover just inside its attacking half, Joao Felix rolled the ball up the channel into substitute Samuel Chukwueze’s path, whose attempt to cut the ball back toward the center of the box was cleared by De Silvestri. The ball caromed right to an onrushing Pulisic, who slid to recalibrate his angle before prodding the ball to Gimenez, who had replaced Jovic less than ten minutes prior. The Concacaf connection paid off, as Gimenez slotted the ball home to send a jolt through the crowd at the San Siro in the 73rd minute.
-https://x.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1920939951538970751
The assist was Pulisic’s 9th in Serie A, setting a new career high for the 26-year-old forward. He trails only Romelu Lukaku in the league-wide rankings, as the striker has played 10 helpers this season for Napoli.
The match-winner similarly benefited from the home side’s directness, as Maignon powered a pass into Chukwueze’s path down the left flank. This time, the Nigerian’s cross found a target, but Joao Felix’s shot was blocked. Fortuitously, it was right into Pulisic’s path, who took his own attempt this time and left Skorupski helpless to stop a well-placed finish. The finish was his 11th goal of the league campaign — the most among Milan players and 9th overall in the league, level with Scott McTominay.
Gimenez capped proceedings in the second minute of stoppage time, after Milan created a numerical advantage in a counter-attack. While Bologna worked to catch up, Chukwueze dribbled around before threading a pass to his striker, who did the rest to evade De Silvestri and fire a shot beyond Skorupski to put the match on ice.
The result saw Milan vault past Fiorentina to finish the day 8th in Serie A, just three points behind Juventus (4th), Roma (5th) and Lazio (6th) in another deeply competitive season in Italy’s top division. Bologna also remains in the thick of European contention on 62 points, but the blown result could prove costly as it keeps them in 7th, just outside of the qualifying places.
Lazio and Juventus will face off at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday, while Roma will be sternly tested by Atalanta — currently 3rd — on Monday. While Milan will need multiple results to go in their favor, it’s a scenario that has only presented itself thanks to their strong conclusion to the season.
As stoppage time played out, the Milan faithful was back in full voice, singing and clapping as a strong collective. While this season has largely tested their optimism, there’s reason for hope in the thick of its business end.
(Top photo: Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)
