Christian Pulisic impressed in a different role for AC Milan, scoring the opening goal of a 3-0 win over Lecce on Saturday.
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Pulisic dazzles as No. 10Scores first goal of 3-0 winHas 10 league goals this seasonGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Milan battered Lecce throughout the 90 minutes, with Pulisic's sixth-minute opener setting the tone for a lopsided win. The American's spectacular curled finish gave Milan the 1-0 lead, and they never looked back.
Olivier Giroud made it 2-0 in the 20th minute, all but putting the game out of reach for Lecce. Nikola Krstovic's 45th-minute red card made matters worse for visitors, who had little chance of toppling AC Milan at San Siro while down a man.
They did have a penalty shout in the 57th minute but, just seconds after the referee waved it off, Rafael Leao darted down the other end to score Milan's third of the game.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
With the win, Milan maintain their stranglehold on second in Serie A, which is almost certainly where they'll stay for the remainder of the season. The Rossonerri are nine points ahead of Juve, although the Old Lady have a game in hand. Milan are also 11 points behind league leaders Inter, who also have one extra game still to play.
Getty ImagesUSMNT IMPACT
Pulisic continues to dazzle for Milan, even when played in a new position.
With both Leao and Samuel Chukwueze in the XI, Pulisic started in more of a No. 10 role as the more central of the three. It didn't take long for him to make an impact in that role, getting his goal just six minutes in partially thanks to the good work of Chukwueze on that right-hand side.
Could this No. 10 spot be a consistent role for Pulisic? Possibly. In January, Stefano Pioli said that he'd like to see Pulisic play as a trequartista, but had not had the chance due to Chukwueze's absence during the African Cup of Nations.
The American star certainly made his mark in the role on Saturday, proving that he can play anywhere in the attack as he continues to be vital for Milan. With his goal, he now has 10 league finishes this season, behind only Olivier Giroud's 12. It's the best single-season tally of his career, having never reached double-digit league goals at Chelsea or Borussia Dortmund.
GettyGOAL'S RATINGS
Christian Pulisic (7/10):
Scored a stunning goal and nearly got another one, only to force a really good save. Didn't get on the ball as much as he could have, but he did make the most of it when he did.
Yunus Musah (6/10):
Came on midway through the second half. Moved the ball well, but the life was very much out of the game by that point due to Milan's huge lead.