AC Milan Comes From Behind To Beat Juventus 2-1 In Supercoppa Italiana Semi-Final

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AC Milan staged a comeback to defeat Juventus 2-1 in Sergio Conceicao's debut match as manager, securing a spot in the Supercoppa Italiana final against Inter. Conceicao was brought in to rejuvenate Milan's struggling season, and he made an impressive start with this unexpected win in Friday's semi-final held in Riyadh.

Juventus took the lead in the 21st minute thanks to Kenan Yildiz, who played after Francisco Conceicao, Sergio's son, got injured during warm-up. Milan didn't respond until the 71st minute when former player Manuel Locatelli fouled Christian Pulisic, resulting in a penalty that Pulisic converted. The turnaround was completed four minutes later as Federico Gatti accidentally deflected Yunus Musah's cross into his own net.

This match marked Juventus' first domestic loss since April, despite being unbeaten in Serie A this season. Although played in Saudi Arabia, the defeat came unexpectedly. Milan managed a higher expected goals figure (1.55) compared to Juventus' 1.02 but struggled until Locatelli's foul gave them a lifeline.

The night was meant for Yildiz to shine, yet it ended up celebrating Milan's new coach. The 19-year-old became the second-youngest scorer in the Supercoppa after Mario Balotelli scored at age 18 for Inter back in 2008.

Milan now looks forward to facing Inter on Monday. However, Conceicao's team will need to elevate their performance to overcome their city rivals. Despite this victory belonging to the new Milan boss, it was initially set up for Yildiz’s celebration.

The young player's unexpected start and goal were overshadowed by Milan's comeback under Conceicao’s guidance. This victory provides a morale boost for Milan as they prepare for their next challenge against Inter.