Christian Pulisic made it a special Mother’s Day weekend to score a crucial goal that helped AC Milan to a come-from-behind win over Bologna, keeping the team within contention for a European place.
AC Milan 3-1 Bologna
AC Milan delivered a blow to Bologna days before their encounter in the Italian Cup final as they recorded a comeback win on Friday at the San Siro.
Christian Pulisic started and went the distance for the Rossoneri, as he completed 79 percent of his passes, won six duels, made a tackle, and put one shot on target. Yunus Musah came off the bench to play the final 12 minutes.
The first half ended scoreless as neither side could find the goals to open the game. However, the visitors broke the deadlock just minutes into the second interval when Riccardo Orsolini collected a pass from Thijs Dallinga to fire his shot past the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
The hosts did not back down as they kept plugging away until they found the equalizer in the 73rd minute. Samuel Chukwueze ran onto a through-ball from the left side and attempted to cross it to the center. The pass took a deflection from a Bologna defender, but Pulisic was on the spot to put the ball into the path of Santiago Gimenez to score.
Pulisic doubled Milan’s lead six minutes later when Chukwueze crossed the ball to Joao Felix. The Portuguese international’s shot was blocked, but the American was there to recover it and slot it home.
The insurance goal came in stoppage time as Chukwueze charged down the right side to deliver a pass to Gimenez to bury his shot into the back of the net.
The win puts Milan in eighth place in the standings with 60 points, three points back for a spot in Europe.
Lazio 1-1 Juventus
Juventus’ chances of claiming a Champions League spot will have to wait another week as they had to share the spoils with Lazio at Stadio Olimpico.
Both Weston McKennie and Tim Weah started for the Bianconeri and played the entire 90 minutes. McKennie completed 74 percent of his passes, won four duels, and made a tackle. Weah completed 90 percent of his passes, won three duels, and made two tackles on the day.
It was cagey in the first half as the teams didn’t make much of a threat for goals. That would change in the 51st minute of the contest when the American duo linked up to break the deadlock. Weah dribbled the ball down the left and fed to McKennie, who then crossed to Randal Kolo Muani to head it home.
The goal might have given the visitors a boost of confidence, but that changed six minutes later when the referee gave a red card to Pierre Kalulu after the video assistant referee saw the Frenchman take a swing at Valentin Castellanos.
Juventus had to work very hard to maintain their slim lead as Lazio pushed for the equalizer. The hosts finally got what they wanted deep in stoppage time when Castellanos’ headed attempt was initially blocked by Juventus goalkeeper Michele di Gregorio, but Matias Vecino slammed home the loose ball.
Juventus sits in fourth place with 64 points, just ahead of Lazio on goal difference.
Notes
Elsewhere in Serie A, Gianluca Busio and Venezia got a boost to their survival hopes with a 2-1 win over Fiorentina.
In Serie B, Jonathan Klinsmann recorded a shutout as Cesena came away with a 1-0 win over Cosenza. The Seahorses have moved up to eighth in the standings to hold onto the last promotion playoff spot with one game left.
Andrija Novakovich played 30 minutes for Bari as their chance for the promotion playoffs took a dent in their 3-1 loss to Cittadella.
Kristoffer Lund came off the bench to play 20 minutes for Palermo in their 2-0 win over Frosinone. The Sicilian side currently sits in seventh place with 51 points.
Follow Yanks Abroad on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for news and views on Americans playing the beautiful game worldwide and the U.S. national teams.
