Toba Owojaiye Reporting
In a dramatic turn of events, AC Milan secured a 1-0 victory against Genoa, propelling them to the top of the Serie A table. The late heroics of Christian Pulisic sealed the win, but the match witnessed extraordinary moments, including striker Olivier Giroud taking up the goalkeeper’s role after Mike Maignan received a red card in stoppage time.
The chaos began when Milan’s goalkeeper, Maignan, was shown the red card for a foul on Caleb Ekuban during injury time. To fill the void, former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Giroud donned the goalkeeper gloves. Genoa’s Albert Gudmundsson attempted a free kick from the edge of the box, but Giroud’s bravery and agility were on full display as he deflected the ball off the crossbar.
Giroud, known for his goal-scoring prowess, exhibited remarkable skill by rushing off his line just before the final whistle to punch the ball to safety, denying George Puscas a potential equalizer.
Milan’s victory allowed them to move two points clear at the summit of the Serie A standings, as their rivals, Inter Milan, squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 against Bologna earlier on the same day.
Milan’s manager, Stefano Pioli, shared his perspective on the unusual goalkeeper situation, revealing that Christian Pulisic initially volunteered to take the role but was deemed too short, ultimately leading to Giroud’s heroic performance. Pioli praised his team’s mentality, character, and strength, expressing satisfaction with their performance despite recognizing areas for improvement.
In the dying moments of the match, Christian Pulisic provided the match-winning moment with a goal, bringing excitement to an otherwise dull game. Milan’s unexpected victory and Giroud’s goalkeeping heroics made headlines in Serie A.