11/23/25 04:16:00
Printable Page
11/23 16:15 CST Pulisic scores and Maignan saves a penalty as Milan beats Inter
in Serie A derby
Pulisic scores and Maignan saves a penalty as Milan beats Inter in Serie A derby
By DANIELLA MATAR
AP Sports Writer
MILAN (AP) --- Christian Pulisic scored in his first start for more than a
month and Mike Maignan saved a penalty as AC Milan beat Inter Milan 1-0 in a
thrilling derby on Sunday.
Milan's win prevented its city rival from going joint top of Serie A.
That left Roma as sole leader after Gian Piero Gasperini's side won 3-1 at
Cremonese earlier in the day.
Roma has 27 points, two more than Milan and Napoli and three more than Inter
and Bologna.
Pulisic had returned from injury in Milan's last match, coming on in the 70th
minute and almost scoring a late winner in the 2-2 draw at Parma.
The United States international had been Milan's best player until his injury
and proved he was back to that form when he pounced in the 54th minute.
Youssouf Fofana stole the ball off Hakan alhano?lu in midfield and sent Alexis
Saelemaekers on a rapid counterattack. His effort was saved by Yann Sommer but
Pulisic tapped in the rebound.
Inter had hit the woodwork twice before that goal and was offered a golden
opportunity to level when it was awarded a penalty after Milan defender
Strahinja Pavlovic stepped on Marcus Thuram's foot.
However, Maignan saved alhano?lu's effort.
Gasperini goes from screaming to beaming
Roma coach Gasperini went from screaming on the sidelines to beaming from the
stands in a matter of minutes.
That was because Roma netted two goals shortly after he was sent off to seal
the win that sent it back to the top of Serie A.
Cremonese had proved tricky opponents for a number of sides this season and it
took several impressive saves from Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar to keep it at
bay.
Roma took the lead with its first real chance of the match. Manu Kon played a
one-two with Lorenzo Pellegrini before finding Matas Soul on the edge of the
area and he curled a fantastic strike into the bottom left corner.
Svilar pushed a Cremonese strike onto the woodwork and the hosts also had a
penalty revoked on video review on the stroke of halftime after a ball struck
the arm of Roma defender Gianluca Mancini.
The referee confirmed the handball was "not punishable" as Mancini's arm had
been flush with his body.
Gasperini was sent off in the 62nd minute. The Roma coach was furious after
being booked for dissent and repeatedly screamed "I didn't say anything" ---
earning him a second yellow card. He was still screaming as he stormed off.
Two minutes later Roma doubled its lead as the ball pinged around the area
before falling to substitute Evan Ferguson to curl in for his first goal for
the club.
Gasperini may not have been in position to see that goal but he was shown on
television full of smiles after Roma's third, in the 69th.
Wesley sprung the offside trap to run onto Stephan El Shaarawy's through ball
and slot it past the onrushing Emil Audero.
Francesco Folino headed in a late consolation for Cremonese.
Relegation fight
Mateo Pellegrino scored twice to help Parma win 2-1 at Hellas Verona in a
crucial relegation fight.
Parma moved three points above the drop zone while Verona slipped to bottom
place, three points from safety.
Lecce is only two points above the drop after losing 2-0 at Lazio.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
|