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.
In his second season at Milan, the United States international has so far scored eight league goals, four shy of his tally last season.
“It’s a very difficult moment for us, and this was a very important victory,” Pulisic told DAZN. “[But] we are a very united group, we demonstrated it with this very important win.”
Pulisic returned to scoring after more than a month.
“Starting from the wing, he feels very comfortable in the central corridor, then it depends on the game,” Milan coach Sergio Conceicao told DAZN.
“Today he started on the left, he is a player with great technical qualities and very intelligent. He can play behind the striker or on the wings but coming inside is the best position.”
Milan was in deep crisis as it had also been knocked out of the Champions League by Feyenoord before its miserable run at home. It thought it had got off to the perfect start at Lecce as Santiago Gimenez 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 its 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.
“We had a little more time during the week to prepare for the match, we knew Lecce’s strengths and weaknesses,” Conceicao added.
“We had two goals disallowed, in the second half we didn’t come in as we wanted and they scored the second goal.
“It seemed difficult to turn it around, then character came out. I put on offensive players and in the end it went well. I have to compliment the team for how they worked during the week with the right attitude that I really liked.”
Information from The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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