Serie A

Football Italia

·6 April 2024

Serie A | Milan 3-0 Lecce: Seventh Heaven

Milan swept 10-man Lecce aside for a seventh straight win in all competition with Christian Pulisic, Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leao, but the refereeing caused controversy.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek was suspended with Malick Thiaw, Pierre Kalulu and Tommaso Pobega injured, but Theo Hernandez returned from his ban. The Salentini had four points from the last two rounds under new coach Luca Gotti, without conceding a goal, and welcomed Lameck Banda back to the starting XI.

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Joan Gonzalez drilled just wide from the edge of the box in the opening minutes, but the hosts took the lead when Samuel Chukwueze dribbled down the right and pulled back to the D, where Pulisic took a touch to bend a left-foot finish into the far top corner.

CHRISTIAN PULISIC GOLAZO IN UNDER SIX MINUTES 🇺🇸💥 pic.twitter.com/ekVx09emWm — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 6, 2024

Wladimiro Falcone had his gloves stung twice by Pulisic moments later with a header and a cross-shot, then Rafael Leao’s effort was deflected onto the side-netting after another Chukwueze run.

Olivier Giroud rather mistimed the header on a Yacine Adli corner, but still managed to deflect it into the far bottom corner off his shoulder for 2-0. It ended his five-round dry streak in the league.

Gonzalez saw his looping header from an Ylber Ramadani ball over the top loop onto the crossbar, surprising Mike Maignan.

Lecce went down to 10 men, as Nikola Krstovic clumsily jumped with a very high boot and caught Chukwueze in the ribs. It seemed accidental, but extremely clumsy and dangerous, so the referee opted for a straight red card.

There was more controversy straight after the restart, as Pontus Almqvist went down in a shoulder to shoulder challenge with Theo Hernandez, caught on the head as the defender jumped over him. The referee did not stop play, Milan went on the counter-attack and immediately scored with Rafael Leao on an Adli through ball. Lecce were furious and President Saverio Sticchi Damiani stormed off in the stands, but VAR could not intervene as there was no foul.

April 6, 2024

Theo Hernandez hit a swerving rocket from distance that thumped the crossbar, while Tijjani Reijnders and Rafael Leao got the crowd on their feet with some showboating efforts.

Lecce still had chances, Maignan tested by the Almqivst counter-attack and a sudden Pierozzi screamer, while Luka Jovic ran onto a Chukwueze through ball and was denied first by Falcone, then the Valentin Gendrey goal-line clearance.