AC Milan emerged victorious in their Serie A encounter against Sassuolo thanks to Christian Pulisic’s opportunistic goal.

Christian Pulisic, the American sensation playing for AC Milan, sent the home crowd into a frenzy as he scored the crucial opening goal in their Serie A TIM match against US Sassuolo at the iconic Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. This goal came as a much-needed relief for Milan and their manager Stefano Pioli, who have been under mounting pressure in recent weeks.

Despite being plagued by injuries, Milan fielded a makeshift team that struggled to find their rhythm against a struggling Sassuolo side. The first half was a cagey affair, with very few opportunities for either team to break the deadlock. Milan did manage to find the back of the net twice through Bennacer and Leao, but both goals were rightly disallowed for offside.

Sassuolo did manage to test Milan’s goalkeeper Maignan more frequently in the first half, but their attempts from distance lacked the necessary threat to trouble the home side.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Milan dominating possession but lacking the urgency and pace required to break down their opponents. However, the breakthrough finally came midway through the second half, and it was a moment of brilliance from Pulisic. A deflected pass from Bennacer fell perfectly for the American, who executed a delicate chip over the scrambling Sassuolo goalkeeper Consigli. This goal proved to be the difference-maker as Milan held on to secure the victory.

While the result will undoubtedly bring some relief to Pioli, questions still linger about his ability to lead Milan in the long term. The performance was far from convincing, and many fans and pundits are beginning to wonder if a change in leadership is necessary for Milan to achieve their goals by 2024.

On the other hand, Sassuolo’s woes continue as they suffer yet another defeat, leaving them dangerously close to the relegation zone. With only two points separating them from the bottom, they will need to find a way to turn their fortunes around quickly if they want to avoid the drop.