MILAN: Christian Pulisic was the hero for AC Milan on Saturday with his two goals helping the Rossoneri end a three-match losing streak in Serie A.
Pulisic first earned and converted a penalty to level the score at 2-2 after Lecce had been leading 2-0. The United States international — who is nicknamed “Captain America” — then scored the late winner in a 3-2 victory at Lecce.
The result saw Milan inch up to eighth in the Italian league. Lecce remained three points above the relegation zone.
City rival Inter Milan were playing bottom club Monza later Saturday and looking to move four points clear at the top of the table.
Milan were in deep crisis as they had also been knocked out of the Champions League by Feyenoord before their miserable run at home. They thought they had got off to the perfect start at Lecce as Santiago Giménez had the ball in the back of the net after just 47 seconds but it was ruled out for offside.
Instead it was Lecce that took the early lead, within seven minutes, with a stunning Nikola Krstovic curler from 20 yards.
It was Lecce’s first goal in 367 minutes, having failed to find the back of the net in their previous four matches.
Milan had more celebrations cut short in the 15th minute when Matteo Gabbia volleyed home Theo Hernández’s free kick but it was again ruled out for offside.
Both teams also hit the woodwork before Krstovic doubled his and Lecce’s tally in the 59th, sweeping a low cross into the bottom left corner.
However, Milan turned things round in the space of five minutes.
João Félix’s effort was probably going wide but went in off Lecce defender Antonino Gallo for an own-goal and then Pulisic leveled in the 73rd with a powerful spot kick down the middle after being tripped by Federico Baschirotto.
The turn-around was complete nine minutes from time. Rafael Leão floated in a free kick from the left for Pulisic to volley in at the back post.
Fight against relegation
A last-gasp penalty saw Venezia snatch a third successive draw, holding Cesc Fabregas’ Como 1-1.
Venezia remained 19th in the 20-team league, five points from safety.
Parma inched two points above the relegation zone after two Mateo Pellegrino goals saw them twice fight back to draw 2-2 against Torino.
‘Captain America’ to the rescue as Pulisic scores 2 goals in Milan’s 3-2 win at Lecce
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‘Captain America’ to the rescue as Pulisic scores 2 goals in Milan’s 3-2 win at Lecce
- Pulisic first earned and converted a penalty to level the score at 2-2 after Lecce had been leading 2-0
- The result saw Milan inch up to eighth in the Italian league
The world needs to respect African football, Mali coach Saintfiet says
- “I think the world needs to respect African football” Saintfiet told Reuters
- “Football is not only played in England, or not only played in Germany or in Italy”
BAMAKO: African football deserves greater respect, Mali coach Tom Saintfiet said, after FIFA’s surprise decision to delay the release of players to their national teams ahead of this month’s Africa Cup of Nations.
With less than three weeks until the tournament in Morocco, FIFA announced on Wednesday that clubs needed to release players only from December 15, a week later than the standard international window.
The 35th edition of the biennial tournament, which runs from December 21 to January 18, was originally scheduled for the northern summer to avoid clashing with the European club season, but was later moved to winter.
“I think the world needs to respect African football” Saintfiet told Reuters in a Zoom interview on Wednesday.
Asked about the most suitable timing for the competition, he said: “There is never a perfect solution. If you talk, it’s in the middle of the season, then you think about the west European countries, the majority of them, but they are not ruling the world of football.
“Players who play in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Russia, they are at the end of the season, they have finished the season. So football is not only played in England, or not only played in Germany or in Italy.
“I think Africa has to do what they feel is the best. It has to do with climate... and I think the rest of the world has to start respecting Africa... there are rules (about) two weeks before the tournament and it’s never perfect.
“I mean if there’s a World Cup in June, July, there are other leagues who have to stop. Norway is in the middle of the league, Japan is in the middle of the league, Russia is in the middle of the league, or they are not playing World Cup,” he added.
FRIENDLIES CANCELLED
FIFA’s decision forced Mali to cancel planned friendlies before facing Zambia on December 22, followed by hosts Morocco and Comoros in Group A.
“We will see our players six days before the tournament. We have a different situation... All our players are foreign-based players, so it’s a big consequence for us,” said Saintfiet.
The 52-year-old Belgian coach, who also holds a Gambian passport, will participate in the tournament for the third time, having led Gambia to the quarter-finals in 2021 before they made an early exit in 2023.
He hopes Mali can go far, despite facing Morocco, who reached the 2022 World Cup semifinals, with two teams qualifying from each group.
“Morocco is the big favorite. Fantastic team, good development, fourth in the World Cup and now the host... we are not afraid of Morocco,” added Saintfiet.
“We really look forward to that game. But first we need to face Zambia and we need to be also focused in the last game against Comoros. So every game will be tough.”
The coach aims to restore the success of a team who finished second in 1972 and won bronze medals in 2012 and 2013.
“The aim is to go to the semifinal. We said that when I signed the contract. We are not scared to say that. We know there are many teams in Africa who can reach the semifinal,” said Saintfiet.
“We have to show Africa that we have very good players. And I think we have really good players. I hope everyone will be available. And I think I added as a coach also some tactical discipline and hopefully it’s good enough to reach our goal to play a minimum of the semifinal.”
Mali is the seventh African team Saintfiet has coached, after Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Malawi, Togo and Gambia. When asked why he preferred Africa, he said he had chosen it willingly.
“Many European coaches come to Africa because they have no chances in Europe and they are having bad performances or no future anymore. For me, coming to Africa was a real choice. To make a career in Africa and because I love Africa.”
