Sergio Conceicao kept his Milan status safe after a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to beat Lecce 3-2 with an own goal and Christian Pulisic brace, despite Nikola Krstovic netting twice.
The Rossoneri were in total crisis after three consecutive Serie A defeats and the Champions League elimination to Feyenoord. With Mike Maignan and Strahinja Pavlovic suspended, plus Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Emerson Royal injured, Sergio Conceicao surprisingly dropped Joao Felix, Rafael Leao and Youssouf Fofana. Lecce were without a goal in four games, but only Filip Marchwinski was still unavailable.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
It was a dramatic start to the match, as Theo Hernandez rolled across for the Santiago Gimenez tap-in after 45 seconds, but the Mexico international was caught offside by VAR.
Frederic Guilbert just about prevented Christian Pulisic meeting the Alex Jimenez cross, but the frantic Milan start was punished when a Tijjani Reijnders pass to Jimenez was intercepted in midfield, allowing Nikola Krstovic to run forward on the counter-attack and smash a ferocious right-foot finish into the top corner from outside the box. It ended a 366-minute Lecce goal drought, their first in Serie A since January 31.
Yunus Musah forced a Wladimiro Falcone save, while Gimenez sliding onto a Theo Hernandez assist couldn’t steer it on target.
Matteo Gabbia thought he got Milan on level terms when he was left totally unmarked to sweep in the volley on a Theo Hernandez free kick to the near post, but VAR confirmed he too had wandered offside.
Lecce threatened too, Krstovic completing a give and go with Guilbert to clip the outside of the near post from a too-tight angle, while Santiago Pierotti fired wide from a very promising position after Malick Thiaw’s error.
Gimenez’s header was straight at Falcone, then the goalkeeper was alert on the Gimenez back-heel flick at the near post from a Musah assist.
Rafael Leao was introduced for the restart and Gimenez went close to an equaliser as he turned with his back to goal and squirmed a finish between a defender’s legs to thump the base of the near post.
However, Lecce doubled their lead with a classic counter-attack, as Tete Morente rolled across from the right for Krstovic relatively undisturbed to sweep home the finish from 12 yards.
Milan were gifted a way back in when Tammy Abraham sent Leao down the left and Joao Felix had scuffed the finish on the roll across, but it ricocheted in off Antonino Gallo’s shinpad.
Moments later, Federico Baschirotto brought down Pulisic as he ran onto the Abraham pass, so the USMNT star converted the penalty himself by blasting into the roof of the net.
Leao stung Falcone’s gloves under the bar from a tricky angle, then created the goal to turn the game around completely, his cross finding Pulisic at the back stick for a cushioned volley off the inside of the right boot.
Lecce 2-3 Milan
Krstovic 7, 59 (L), Gallo og 68 (M), Pulisic pen 73, 81 (M)
Player statistic
| Nikola Krstovic (Assist: Thórir Jóhann Helgason) |
 |
7' | ||
| Medon Berisha |  |
42' |
| Nikola Krstovic (Assist: Frédéric Guilbert) |
|
59' | ||
| 68' |  |
Antonino Gallo | ||
| 73' |  |
Christian Pulisic | ||
| 81' | |
Christian Pulisic (Assist: Rafael Leão) | ||
| 88' | |
Tammy Abraham | ||
| Nikola Krstovic | |
90+1' |
Match statistic
0 thought on “Serie A | Lecce 2-3 Milan: Pulisic comeback rescues Conceicao”