In an exhilarating Supercoppa Italiana semifinal, Sergio Conceição marked his debut as AC Milan’s head coach with a remarkable comeback victory over Juventus. The match, held at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, saw Milan overturn a deficit with two goals in just four minutes, setting the stage for a showdown against Inter in the final.
Following the dismissal of Paulo Fonseca earlier in the week, Conceição stepped into the managerial role under challenging circumstances. With key players like Rafael Leão, Samuel Chukwueze, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek sidelined due to injuries, and Yunus Musah not fully fit, Conceição opted for a 4-3-3 formation. The match took on an added layer of drama as he faced his son, Francisco Conceição, who was initially slated to start but withdrew during warm-ups due to injury, leading to Kenan Yildiz taking his place.
Kenan Yildiz smashes the opener into the back of the net! 💥
Juventus lead ⚫⚪ pic.twitter.com/nCiFnlSrI7
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) January 3, 2025
Juventus drew first blood when Yildiz capitalized on a defensive lapse from Milan’s Theo Hernandez, scoring with a powerful shot from the edge of the box. Despite Juventus controlling much of the first half and creating several chances, including a near miss from Dusan Vlahovic, Milan struggled to find their rhythm.
The turning point came in the second half. After Juventus had maintained their lead for most of the match, Milan found their footing. A penalty was awarded after Manuel Locatelli fouled Christian Pulisic, who converted it despite goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio getting a hand to it. This goal revitalized Milan’s spirits and shifted the momentum.
Milan have turned it around! 😱
An absolute freak goal has them 2-1 up against Juventus now as Musah’s cross deflects in off Gatti 🔴⚫ pic.twitter.com/DgeftgU4Si
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) January 3, 2025
In a stunning display of resilience, Milan scored twice within four minutes. The first came from a fortunate deflection off Federico Gatti that caught Di Gregorio off guard. Moments later, Pulisic had another chance that was thwarted by Di Gregorio’s quick reflexes. However, the pressure mounted on Juventus as they faltered under Milan’s relentless attack.
The match concluded with a tense final push from Juventus, including a late chance where Kenan Yildiz’s cross was narrowly missed by Gatti. Ultimately, Milan secured their place in the final against Inter, while Juventus faced disappointment after suffering their second competitive defeat of the season.
Goals: Yildiz 21 (J), Pulisic pen 71 (M), Gatti og 75 (M)
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Savona, Kalulu, Gatti, McKennie (86′ Weah); Thuram (79′ Douglas Luiz), Locatelli (86′ Fagioli); Yildiz, Koopmeiners, Mbangula (65′ Cambiaso); Vlahovic (65′ Nico Gonzalez).
Milan (4-3-3): Maignan; Emerson Royal (82′ Gabbia), Thiaw, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Bennacer (54′ Musah), Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Morata (82′ Terracciano), Jimenez (61′ Abraham).
