AC Milan announced their ambitions for the Serie A title on Sunday with a decisive 2-1 victory over Napoli, positioning them at the top of the standings even after playing more than half an hour with a man down.
Christian Pulisic shone for Milan at the San Siro by assisting Alexis Saelemaekers’ opening goal in the third minute and then scoring himself shortly after the half-hour mark.
The American forward’s standout performance against a Napoli side hampered by injuries propelled Milan to first place with 12 points, ahead of both the reigning champions and Roma, who secured a 2-0 win over Verona, based on goal difference.
Pulisic has netted six goals this season across all competitions, and just before he capped off an impressive passing sequence, he delivered a remarkable pass to Youssouf Fofana, putting him through on goal in a manner reminiscent of his teammate Luka Modric.
The 27-year-old received a standing ovation from the Milan fans when he was substituted for Davide Bartesaghi shortly before Kevin De Bruyne calmly converted a penalty in the 60th minute, bringing Napoli back into the match.
He was substituted by coach Massimiliano Allegri after Pervis Estupinan received a red card for pulling down Giovanni Di Lorenzo just as the Napoli player was about to score from close range.
After that, Milan had to endure Napoli’s relentless assaults as the champions surged forward in search of an away goal to take back to southern Italy.
The home supporters held their breath when David Neres’ shot, which took a deflection, struck the crossbar in the first minute of added time, but the electrified San Siro erupted in celebration at the final whistle as Milan secured their fourth consecutive league victory.
Now, Napoli shifts their focus to the upcoming match against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League after suffering their first defeat in Italy’s top tier.
