AC Milan Stages Dramatic Comeback To Defeat Lecce 3-2 With Pulisic's Stellar Performance

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AC Milan staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Lecce 3-2 in Serie A on Saturday. Christian Pulisic played a pivotal role in turning the game around for the visitors. Initially, it seemed like pressure would mount on Sergio Conceicao, but Milan's late surge secured their 1,500th Serie A victory.

The match began with excitement as Santiago Gimenez found the net just 47 seconds in, only for his goal to be disallowed due to offside. Despite this early setback, Lecce took the lead in the seventh minute with Nikola Krstovic's impressive strike. Milan faced further frustration when Matteo Gabbia's goal was also ruled out for offside after a Theo Hernandez free-kick.

Lecce nearly extended their advantage when Krstovic hit the post 21 minutes into the game. However, Krstovic eventually doubled Lecce's lead with a precise shot into the bottom-left corner after halftime. This marked a turning point as Milan began to fight back.

Rafael Leao, who came on as a substitute at halftime, set up Joao Felix for a close-range effort that deflected off Antonio Gallo into the net. This goal reignited Milan's hopes. The visitors were awarded a penalty when Federico Baschirotto fouled Pulisic, who confidently converted it in the 73rd minute to level the score.

Pulisic continued his influence by scoring from close range after another excellent cross by Leao with just nine minutes left. His performance was crucial in securing Milan's victory.

Pulisic's Stellar Performance

This victory marked AC Milan's first win since February 15 against Verona and their first away win in a month. Remarkably, this is not the first time Milan has come from behind against Lecce at Via del Mare; they previously overturned a three-goal deficit to win 4-3 in October 2011.

Pulisic has been instrumental for Milan since joining Serie A in the 2023-24 season. He has contributed to more goals than any other player for Milan during this period, with 20 goals and 14 assists. Lecce is his favourite opponent, having scored four times against them.

Pulisic's brace was only his second in Italy's top flight and his first away from home. His contributions were vital in ensuring AC Milan's historic win and ending their recent struggles in Serie A.