MILAN This time, Milan didn't slip up. Four days after their disappointing Europa League defeat to Benfica, the Rossoneri defeated Lecce 3-0 at San Siro, regaining victory and confidence before the long international break. Pulisic, Rabiot, and Moreira sealed the victory on an evening dedicated to the centennial celebrations of the Milanese stadium and the memory of Sandro Mazzola.
Ruben Amorim's team thus climbs to fifth place with 11 points, behind Roma, Inter, Lazio, and Cagliari. There are still areas for improvement, but the team's response to their European misstep was convincing, both in terms of the result and the management of the match. Reuters
The star of the night was Christian Pulisic, starting for the first time this season and back in the starting lineup after five months. The American took just 14 minutes to make his mark. Pavlovic fed him directly from the defense, and Pulisic controlled beautifully with his right foot and beat Falcone with a precise left-footed finish.
The goal rewarded Milan's aggressive start, as they quickly took control of the game and created the best chances. Lecce often defended with five men in the back line and struggled to gain ground. The visitors' first shot didn't come until the 25th minute, when Maignan easily controlled Gaspar's right-footed shot.
Pulisic continued to be the key figure in the Rossoneri's play. In the 39th minute, he reached the byline and crossed an inviting ball into the middle, which De Winter beat to Ramos and the Salento defenders, but was unable to find the target from a favorable position. Milan thus ended the first half one goal ahead, but with the feeling of being able to strike again.
At the start of the second half, Pavlovic found the net to potentially double the lead with a header following a corner. Falcone wasn't perfect, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
The 2-0 lead was merely postponed. On the hour mark, Pulisic played a through ball to Rabiot, who linked up with Ramos and finished the move, beating Falcone from inside the box. It was the French midfielder's eighth goal in 38 appearances for AC Milan.
With the match now in the balance, Amorim brought on Moreira and Loftus-Cheek. The Belgian took just a few minutes to confirm his excellent form: he won the ball back from Veiga in the opponent's half, stood alone in front of Falcone, and scored the final goal to make it 3-0.
After his brace against Lazio, Moreira has now scored three goals in his last two Serie A matches, strengthening his position for a permanent place in the starting lineup.
Di Francesco tried to change Lecce's game by bringing on N'Dri after Fatah, Ngom, and Kaba, but the Salento side were never able to seriously trouble Maignan. Milan controlled the final minutes without a problem and completed a crucial evening to at least partially erase their European disappointment.
Amorim can face the break with greater confidence and a renewed sense of self-confidence: when Pulisic is on the pitch, AC Milan's play gains quality, unpredictability, and consistency.
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