AC Milan narrowly avoided a shocking home defeat after being held to a 2–2 draw by Pisa in a thrilling Serie A 2025/26 Week 8 clash at San Siro on Saturday (October 25, 2025) early morning local time.
The Rossoneri dominated the match from start to finish but were forced to settle for a single point after Pisa’s disciplined defense and clinical counterattacks spoiled their night. Despite Milan’s superiority in possession and shots, the visitors managed to frustrate the league leaders until the very last minute.
Rafael Leão and young defender Zachary Athekame were on the scoresheet for AC Milan, while Pisa’s goals came from Juan Cuadrado and M’Bala Nzola — two veterans who punished Milan’s lapses at crucial moments.
This result leaves Milan at the top of the Serie A table with 17 points from eight games. However, their position is under serious threat from Inter Milan, Napoli, and AS Roma, who all sit just two points behind on 15. Pisa, meanwhile, remain in 17th place with only four points from eight matches — just above the relegation zone.
Match Recap: AC Milan vs Pisa
The game began perfectly for Milan. Rafael Leão opened the scoring in the 7th minute with a moment of brilliance. From a cleverly worked short free kick by Samuele Ricci, Leão burst in from the left flank before curling a beautiful right-footed shot into the bottom corner past Adrian Semper.
The early goal boosted Milan’s confidence, and the hosts continued to dominate possession. Matteo Bartesaghi almost doubled the lead in the 23rd minute with a curling free kick, but Semper produced an outstanding save. Youssouf Fofana then tested the Croatian goalkeeper again with a long-range effort in the 40th minute, only for Semper to deny him calmly once more.
After the break, Milan maintained control of the game. In the 50th minute, Bartesaghi whipped in a dangerous low cross that found Santiago Giménez, but the striker’s finish rolled just wide of the post.
Pisa, however, found a way back. In the 56th minute, a shot from Juan Cuadrado struck Koni De Winter’s arm inside the penalty area, prompting the referee to award a spot-kick. Cuadrado himself stepped up and confidently sent Mike Maignan the wrong way to make it 1–1.
Milan responded immediately. Just four minutes later, Leão broke through on goal but his thunderous strike rattled the crossbar. The Rossoneri kept pushing, but Semper was simply unbeatable. He pulled off a double save in the 70th minute — first denying Gabbia’s header, then stopping Saelemaekers’ long-range strike seconds later.
The tension rose inside San Siro, and Pisa’s defense stood firm. In the 79th minute, Canestrelli made a heroic tackle on Nkunku to prevent what looked like a certain goal. Then came the shock: in the 86th minute, Pisa turned the game around. Akinsanmiro sent a long ball over the top to M’Bala Nzola, who outmuscled Pavlovic and coolly slotted the ball past Maignan to give the visitors a stunning 2–1 lead.
But Milan refused to surrender. Deep into injury time, the San Siro erupted as young defender Zachary Athekame unleashed a powerful strike from outside the box in the 93rd minute. The ball crashed off the post and into the net — rescuing a vital point for the Rossoneri. Saelemaekers nearly completed the comeback seconds later, but his shot narrowly missed the target, ending the match 2–2.
Line-Ups
AC Milan (3-5-2):
Mike Maignan; Strahinja Pavlovic, Matteo Gabbia, Koni De Winter; Davide Bartesaghi, Luka Modric, Samuele Ricci, Youssouf Fofana, Alexis Saelemaekers; Rafael Leão, Santiago Giménez.
Coach: Massimiliano Allegri
Pisa (3-5-2):
Adrian Semper; Simone Canestrelli, Raul Albiol, Antonio Caracciolo; Giovanni Bonfanti, Matteo Tramoni, Michel Aebischer, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, Idrissa Toure; M’Bala Nzola, Henrik Meister.
Coach: Alberto Gilardino
Analysis: Milan’s Depth Tested, Pisa Earns Respect
This draw will feel like a loss for AC Milan, who wasted numerous chances to seal the game early. However, it also highlighted the emergence of their younger players — especially Athekame, whose late goal underlined the club’s growing reliance on youth amid an intense fixture schedule.
For Pisa, it was a statement of resilience. Gilardino’s men showed discipline, courage, and organization against a superior opponent. Their ability to soak up pressure and strike on the counter demonstrated they can challenge any side in Serie A if they maintain this defensive structure.
With tougher matches ahead and the title race heating up, AC Milan must learn from this frustrating night — particularly in terms of finishing and maintaining concentration until the final whistle.
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