AC Mіlаn finally secured thеіr fіrѕt thrее роіntѕ оf the Serie A 2025/26 season after dеfеаtіng Lecce 2-0 іn аn аwау mаtсh at Stаdіо Vіа dеl Mаrе оn Sаturdау (Auguѕt 30, 2025) in the early hours of the morning. The Rossoneri, determined to bounce back from their opening setback, showed their superiority from the very first whistle and dominated for large stretches of the contest.
The goals that sealed the victory came in the second half through Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s powerful header in the 66th minute and Christian Pulisic’s clinical finish in the 86th minute. Milan actually had the ball in the net twice earlier in the game, but both strikes were ruled out by VAR for offside. Despite the setbacks, Stefano Pioli’s men—oh correction, now under Massimiliano Allegri—never lost their grip on the game and continued to control the tempo until they eventually found the breakthrough.
With this win, AC Milan climbed to seventh place in the Serie A standings, collecting three points from two games. Lecce, on the other hand, remain stuck in 15th position with only one point from their opening two fixtures.
First Half: Milan Dominate but Fail to Break Through
Milan started the game with clear attacking intent, pressing high and pushing Lecce deep into their own half. Just four minutes in, Matteo Gabbia thought he had given the Rossoneri the lead after heading the ball into the back of the net. However, VAR intervened, spotting a foul in the build-up, and the goal was disallowed.
The disallowed strike did not discourage Milan, who kept flooding forward. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, one of Milan’s most dangerous players on the night, almost broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, only to see his header brilliantly parried away by Lecce’s goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone.
Moments before halftime, summer signing Santiago Gimenez had the best chance of the opening period when he found himself one-on-one with Falcone. However, the Mexican striker’s effort lacked precision, and the Lecce keeper stood tall to keep the score level.
The first half ended 0-0, with Milan clearly the more dominant side in terms of possession and chances created. Lecce, however, defended with discipline and managed to frustrate the visitors.
Second Half: Loftus-Cheek and Pulisic Deliver the Points
The second half began with Lecce showing more aggression as they looked to push Milan back and catch them off guard. For a brief spell, the hosts threatened to shift the momentum of the game. But Allegri’s men soon re-established control with their composure and technical superiority.
Thе brеаkthrоugh fіnаllу arrived in the 66th minute. Lukа Mоdrіс, Mіlаn’ѕ vеtеrаn рlауmаkеr, dеlіvеrеd a pinpoint frее-kісk іntо thе bоx, whісh Ruben Lоftuѕ-Chееk mеt wіth a thunderous header thаt lеft Fаlсоnе wіth nо сhаnсе. Thе gоаl not оnlу gаvе Mіlаn thе lead but аlѕо released thе pressure that had been mounting after the dіѕаllоwеd gоаlѕ.
Massimiliano Allegri then made a decisive substitution in the 76th minute, introducing Christian Pulisic to inject more pace and creativity in the final third. The American winger wasted no time making his mark. In the 86th minute, Pulisic capitalized on a defensive error from Lecce, calmly slotting the ball past Falcone to secure the three points for the Rossoneri.
Even after doubling their lead, Milan continued to push forward, while Lecce struggled to create clear chances of their own. The game ended 2-0, marking a professional and confident performance by AC Milan, who will now aim to build momentum in the coming weeks.
Match Line-Ups
Lecce (4-3-3):
Wlаdіmіrо Fаlсоnе; Antonino Gаllо, Tіаgо Gаbrіеl, Kialonda Gаѕраr, Dаnіlо Veiga; Mоhаmеd Kаbа, Ylbеr Rаmаdаnі, Lаѕѕаnа Cоulіbаlу; Tеtе Mоrеntе, Francesco Cаmаrdа, Sаntіаgо Pіеrоttі.
Coach: Eusebio Di Francesco
AC Milan (3-5-2):
Mike Maignan; Strahinja Pavlovic, Matteo Gabbia, Fikayo Tomori; Pervis Estupiñán, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Luka Modric, Youssouf Fofana, Yunus Musah; Santiago Gimenez, Alexis Saelemaekers.
Coach: Massimiliano Allegri
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