American Duo Sparks Comeback

Milan's American Pair Influential in Supercoppa Comeback Against Juventus

In a clash featuring four USMNT stars, AC Milan's American contingent proved decisive as the Rossoneri came from behind to defeat Juventus 2-1 in the Italian Supercoppa semifinal on Friday at Riyadh's Al-Awwal Park, setting up a Milan derby final against Inter.

Despite a quiet first hour, Christian Pulisic made his mark on the match in the 71st minute when he was brought down in the penalty area by Manuel Locatelli. The American winger, who had struggled to impact the game until that point, stepped up to take the spot kick himself and converted despite goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio getting a touch on the ball, bringing Milan level.

Just four minutes later, it was Yunus Musah who turned the game on its head. The midfielder, who had come on as a substitute for Ismael Bennacer, made an immediate impact with his energy and drive. His cross from the right flank forced an unfortunate own goal from Federico Gatti, completing Milan's comeback and ultimately proving to be the winner. Musah's performance off the bench was particularly noteworthy, as he not only contributed to the winning goal but also excelled when shifted to right-back later in the match.

For Juventus, Weston McKennie nearly found an equalizer in the 84th minute, but Milan's defense held firm. The versatile American, who has been impressing at left-back for the Bianconeri this season, also made his presence felt earlier when his deflection from an Emerson Royal cross forced a save from Maignan. Tim Weah, the fourth American involved in the match, had a quieter evening after subbing on for McKennie late in the match. Juventus struggled to maintain their first-half momentum after going ahead through Kenan Yildiz's opener.

The victory marked a perfect start for new Milan manager Sergio Conceicao, though the Portuguese coach will likely feel fortunate given his team's underwhelming first-half display. For Juventus, it marked their first defeat to an Italian side this season, with coach Thiago Motta's substitution decisions coming under scrutiny as the Bianconeri failed to capitalize on their early dominance.

The result sets up an intriguing Derby della Madonnina final against Inter on Monday, with Milan's American duo of Pulisic and Musah looking to build on their match-winning contributions from the semifinal.