Christian Pulisic proved enough to give Milan a much-needed victory to see out 2023, despite the strong Sassuolo record at San Siro.
The injury crisis intensified with Fikayo Tomori, Yunus Musah, Malick Thiaw, Pierre Kalulu, Noah Okafor, Marco Pellegrino, Tommaso Pobega, Mattia Caldara and Marco Sportiello out of action, so Simon Kjaer was the only fit senior centre-back. The Neroverdi missed Matias Vina, Gregoire Defrel, Uros Racic and Daniel Boloca, but Domenico Berardi returned.
Ismael Bennacer had the ball in the net after seven minutes, but it did not count because Olivier Giroud was offside when gathering the rebound from a parried long-range Tijjani Reijnders strike.
Reijnders also drilled wide and Bennacer skimmed the upright from the edge of the area, but Ruben Loftus-Cheek blasted into the stands from a Rafael Leao assist.
Leao thought he had scored on 32 minutes from a tight angle into the far top corner, but again the offside flag was up on the Alessandro Florenzi assist.
Mike Maignan flew to fingertip a trademark Berardi curler over the crossbar, but after the restart Reijnders completely scuffed the finish from inside the area, allowing it to be charged down.
Armand Laurienté curled into the arms of Maignan, but the deadlock was finally broken on the hour mark when Ruan Tressoldi failed to intercept the Bennacer through ball, so Christian Pulisic could beat Andrea Consigli one-on-one with a delicate dink.
Brilliant movement from Christian Pulisic! 🔥
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 30, 2023
The former Chelsea man has AC Milan in the lead! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/TtvTqMexAP
Berardi went off injured and Samu Castillejo was given a warm welcome back to his former club. Lauriente completed a give and go with Thorstvedt to fire at Maignan through the legs of Theo Hernandez.
Milan gave Primavera youth team captain Kevin Zeroli his Serie A debut and Alessandro Florenzi’s chest and volley landed on the roof of the net.
Both Pinamonti and Thorstvedt just failed to get on the end of a Pedersen cross, while Samuel Chukwueze drilled wide of the far post.
Milan 1-0 Sassuolo
Pulisic 59 (M)
Match statistic
