FootXtra – Football News & Updates FootXtra brings you the latest football news, live updates, match previews, transfer stories, and in-depth analysis from leagues and tournaments around the world. Stay connected to the beautiful game every day.
This Tuesday, AC Milan were aiming to extend their winning streak carried over from recent Serie A matches — this time in the second round of the Coppa Italia. Their opponent: Lecce. And once again, Christian Pulisic stepped up to deliver a moment of magic.
Massimiliano Allegri’s team had suffered a tough blow at the start of the Serie A season with a surprising loss to Cremonese. However, they bounced back quickly with three straight wins over Lecce, Bologna, and Udinese, which brought them closer to the top of the standings.
The goal now for Milan was to replicate that form in the second round of the Coppa Italia. And they did just that. Despite fielding a lineup with several rotated players to preserve some of their top stars, the Rossoneri showed clear superiority over Lecce and quickly built a commanding lead.
In the first half, Santiago Gimenez opened the scoring with a comfortable finish inside the box after a well-placed cross from Davide Bartesaghi on the left. With the early lead — and a one-man advantage following Siebert’s red card — Milan controlled the match through halftime.
In the second half, Christopher Nkunku doubled Milan’s lead with a stunning strike. The French forward scored his first goal for the club since arriving from Chelsea, pulling off an acrobatic finish inside the box after a cross from Alexis Saelemaekers.
With the match in hand, head coach Massimiliano Allegri brought on Christian Pulisic to replace Nkunku. And just three minutes later, the American star made his mark: Youssouf Fofana delivered a cross from the right that Santiago Gimenez failed to connect with, but Christian was there behind him to calmly slot it home with a precise right-footed finish.
Tuesday’s goal against Lecce in the Coppa Italia was Christian Pulisic’s fifth of the campaign across all competitions. The 27-year-old forward currently leads the Serie A scoring chart with 3 goals — tied with Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram.
FIFA World Cup
