Christian Pulisic makes Milan historical past: USMNT star ties career-best objective complete in Serie A comeback win and matches Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s milestone

Christian Pulisic makes Milan historical past: USMNT star ties career-best objective complete in Serie A comeback win and matches Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s milestone

Milan was as soon as once more pressured to dig deep, however it managed to battle again and safe an important win in opposition to Como in Serie A. After falling behind within the first half, the Rossoneri mounted one other comeback, with Christian Pulisic enjoying a decisive function but once more. The American winger discovered the online to attract the Rossoneri stage earlier than Tijjani Reijnders sealed the victory with a late winner.

Past the speedy significance of the consequence, Pulisic’s objective carried an excellent better significance. With that strike, he reached a profession milestone and matched an achievement as soon as set by none apart from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. May this become the most effective particular person season ever for an American in Europe’s prime 5 leagues?

Milan’s behavior of beginning sluggish and ending robust was as soon as once more evident in opposition to Como. The guests took the lead within the thirty third minute, when Luca Da Cunha fired a exact shot into the underside left nook. Regardless of having a number of probabilities earlier within the sport, Sergio Conceicao and his gamers discovered themselves behind at halftime, prompting loud jeers from the San Siro crowd.

“I can’t provide you with a motive, we need to begin the sport stronger, and I don’t know why this season we’re all the time in hassle within the first half,” Pulisic admitted to DAZN. “The vital factor is to do higher within the second.”

Pulisic to Conceicao and Milan’s rescue once more

Then, simply minutes earlier than the hour-mark, Milan discovered the breakthrough. Tijjani Reijnders, who had been instrumental within the midfield, performed a superbly weighted ball excessive for Pulisic. From a decent angle, the American winger displayed exceptional composure, placing the ball previous the goalkeeper and into the far backside nook.

That objective was Pulisic’s fifteenth of the season in all competitions, equaling his earlier career-best tally, which he set in his first season at Milan. Nonetheless, he reached this mark in simply 38 video games, in comparison with the 50 matches he wanted final season.

What makes this feat much more particular is that the 26-year-old has now grow to be the primary Crimson and Blacks participant to attain 15+ targets in all competitions in every of his first two seasons since Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2010-11 and 2011-12, as per OptaJack.

Historic season for the American and it’ll get even higher

Together with his newest objective, Pulisic now has 9 Serie A targets this season, taking his total tally for Milan to 30 targets and 17 assists since becoming a member of the membership. His affect on the workforce is plain, and his capability to ship in essential moments has solely solidified his significance to the workforce’s assault.

The USMNT star has additionally been a key determine within the Italian big’s current flip of kind. Simply final week, he scored a dramatic brace in opposition to Lecce, serving to Milan overturn a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2. Now, with back-to-back comeback performances, he continues to show his capability to ship when it issues most.

Milan’s dominance continued after Pulisic’s equalizer, and the winner lastly arrived within the seventy fifth minute. This time, it was Reijnders himself who discovered the onlinecalmly ending previous the goalkeeper after a superb backheel help from Tammy Abraham.

With that, Milan secured their second consecutive Serie A victory, transferring as much as seventh place within the desk, 5 factors behind fourth-placed Juventus. The win additionally retains Sergio Conceicao’s facet within the hunt for a Champions League spot–at the least mathematically–although the battle for European qualification stays tight.