MYS
简体中文
Christian Pulisic dazzles for AC Milan for the second-straight week, adding goal number two to his Serie A account.
The USMNT captain is loving life in Milan, as he's connecting with former team-mates Olivier Giroud and Ruben Loftus-Cheek and scoring goals at the same time. Pulisic and Milan took down Torino 4-1 in their 2023/24 home opener at the San Siro on the back of the 24-year-old's opener, a brace from Giroud and a first-half stoppage time strike fullback Theo Hernandez.
Pulisic started on the right flank but transitioned to the left following a string of second-half substitutions from manager Stefano Pioli.
Following the midsummer transfer to Italy, Pulisic looks like the young star we all saw break out with Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund. In his first two matches in a Milan kit, the USMNT star is looking incredibly comfortable after multiple frustrating campaigns with Chelsea, and the best is still to come.
Pulisic found the back of the net once again for the Rossoneri, connecting with ex-Chelsea team-mate Ruben Loftus-Cheek to open the scoring in the contest. The USMNT star made a sprinting run to the far-post of Loftus-Cheek, who laid a pinpoint cross across the box which Pulisic tapped home in the 33rd minute.
The American forward had a great chance to double his tally on the night in the 56th minute, but fell short as his striker went over the bar after getting past the defender. Milan added two more goals before the halftime break and a fourth from the penalty spot to seal the match in the second-half.
One story to watch, however, is winger Rafael Leao being subbed off due to injury - which led to the spot kick and their fourth goal. The Portuguese winger was taken down in the box and removed as a result.
For the second-straight match, Pulisic lined up on the right wing for the Rossoneri, and it now seems that manager Stefano Pioli has found a home for the 24-year-old. However, his versatility is what makes him an asset for the attack. Following an unexpected injury to left-winger Leao in the second-half, Pioli moved the American to that side of the pitch and his impact remained.
Whether Pioli lines him up on the wing, at the 10 or even at the 9 position, Pulisic has seemingly locked up a place in the starting XI. On top of that, the USMNT captain has now doubled his scoring tally from 2022/23 after only finding the back of the net once for ex-team Chelsea in England last campaign. Simply put, he's only going uphill from here.
Gregg Berhalter is going to be thrilled seeing the American finding form like this for his club so early in the campaign. Pulisic is breaking out at the perfect time ahead of a set of International friendlies in September with the USMNT, too.
Consistently a quality player at the international level, Pulisic has previously shrugged off his club form when it came to wearing the USA kit. Now, the 24-year-old will no longer need to shrug off any poor form as he's part of the new blistering attack in Milan.
Fellow U.S. international Yunus Musah was subbed in for Milan midway through the second half, but didn't have much of an impact on the match. The American's first-half strike and constant movement in the final-third caused immense trouble for Torino, but Pulisic had a rather quiet final 45 minutes. He looks to be fitting right in.
Musah was subbed on midway through the second half when Milan were already up 4-1. Pioli's side coasted through the remainder of the match, but Musah locked down the midfield and pressed the opposition accordingly. Milan will travel to the Stadio Olimpico on Friday September 1 to take on fellow Italian giants Roma.
Source: goal
