Weah's Strike Sinks AC Milan

On This Day in 2025, The American Winger's Second-Half Finish Highlighted a Breakthrough Victory That Reignited Juventus' Top-Four Hopes

By mid-January 2025, Juventus found themselves in an unusual predicament. Thiago Motta's side remained the only unbeaten team in Serie A—a remarkable achievement on its surface—but their inability to convert dominance into victories had become a troubling pattern. Seven draws in their previous eight league matches had left them languishing in fifth place, outside the Champions League qualification spots that the club considered non-negotiable. The frustration was palpable at the Allianz Stadium, where fans had grown accustomed to controlling matches without delivering the knockout blow.

For Timothy Weah, the season had been a story of evolution. After overcoming early injury setbacks, the 24-year-old had established himself as a genuine threat in Motta's attack, contributing four goals and four assists across all competitions. His partnership with Weston McKennie had already produced Champions League history in December against Manchester City, and now, with the domestic campaign at a crossroads, Weah would once again be called upon to deliver in a crucial moment.

The January 18 clash with AC Milan carried enormous significance for both sides. Milan arrived at the Allianz Stadium riding momentum under new manager Sergio Conceicao, who had defeated Juventus just two weeks earlier in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final. But the Rossoneri would be without their most important player, Christian Pulisic, who had been ruled out with a calf injury sustained against Como. The American's absence created a fascinating subplot: with Pulisic sidelined, Weah and McKennie faced fellow USMNT midfielder Yunus Musah in what amounted to a battle of American influence in Italy's biggest rivalry.

The first half unfolded as a tactical chess match befitting the occasion. Both sides created promising opportunities—Rafael Leao tested Michele Di Gregorio for Milan, while Kenan Yildiz came close for Juventus—but neither could break through. When Yildiz was forced off at halftime with an adductor injury, Motta turned to Weah, whose father, George, had famously worn the Rossoneri shirt in the 1990s. The substitution would prove decisive.

Juventus broke the deadlock in the 59th minute through Samuel Mbangula, whose curled attempt took a deflection off Milan defender Emerson Royal and wrongfooted goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Five minutes later, Weah delivered the moment that would seal the victory and capture his season's trajectory in a single sequence.

Khephren Thuram won possession in midfield and immediately threaded a perfectly weighted pass into space. Weah, making an incisive run from his wide position, took the ball in stride and attacked Milan's backline with directness and purpose. As Fikayo Tomori closed him down in a one-on-one situation, Weah shifted the ball onto his left foot and drove a low finish inside the far post, beyond Maignan's desperate reach. The Allianz Stadium erupted. The goal was both clinical and decisive—exactly what Juventus had been missing during their draw-heavy stretch.

For Weah, the strike represented more than just his fifth Serie A goal of the campaign. It was a validation of his growth as a player capable of deciding matches against elite opposition. His nine-goal contributions already marked a career high, and scoring against the club his legendary father had represented added a layer of personal significance.

The victory moved Juventus into fourth place with 37 points, ending their frustrating run of draws and establishing breathing room in the race for Champions League qualification. For Milan, the defeat was their first under Conceicao and left them in eighth place, six points adrift of the top four. Juventus had also achieved a defensive milestone, keeping four consecutive clean sheets against Milan in Serie A for the first time in the rivalry's long history.

The win against Milan proved to be a turning point, but not in the way Juventus supporters had hoped. Despite the breakthrough result and Weah's continued contributions, including a goal against PSV in the Champions League in February, the Bianconeri's season would ultimately fall short of expectations. They would finish fourth in Serie A, securing Champions League qualification but failing to mount a serious title challenge. In Europe, their journey ended in the knockout phase play-offs, while domestic cup competitions brought only modest returns—a Coppa Italia quarter-final exit and a Supercoppa semi-final defeat to Milan.

By March, Thiago Motta's tenure had come to an end after a humiliating 4-0 home defeat to Atalanta, with Igor Tudor taking over for the season's final stretch. Yet even as the campaign unraveled, Weah's performances remained a bright spot. His ability to deliver in critical moments—from Manchester City in December to Milan in January—demonstrated that American players were not just participating in Europe's elite competitions, they were deciding them. For a player who had once battled to stay healthy and find consistency, the 2024-25 season represented a coming-of-age campaign, with that low left-footed finish past Maignan standing as its defining image.