Christian Pulisic scores first goal of season but AC Milan still winless in Serie A
Christian Pulisic netted his first goal of the new Serie A season but he couldn't prevent AC Milan losing 2-1 at Parma on Saturday to leave new coach Paulo Fonseca still waiting for his first win in charge.
Pulisic scored one of the easiest goals of his career in the 66th minute to cancel out Dennis Man's second-minute opener. Pulisic, 25, is now the first American player to score in 10 different seasons in the top-five European leagues.
But substitute Matteo Cancellieri scored what was to prove the winner 11 minutes later and offer a great way for Parma coach Fabio Pecchia to mark his birthday.
Fonseca, who replaced Stefano Pioli in the offseason, has a lot of work to do. Milan needed two late goals to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Torino on the opening day.
Inter Milan was also held 2-2 in the defending champion's first match last weekend and the Nerazzurri were hosting Lecce later Saturday.
Alvaro Morata had scored on his debut but was out injured and Milan got off to the worst possible start in Parma as it found itself behind within 90 seconds.
Man, who had netted in Parma's 1-1 draw against Fiorentina on the opening day, was left completely unmarked in the area to sweep home Emanuele Valeri's cross.
Milan offered little until after the cooling break, midway through the first half. Shortly after play resumed, Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki had to push Strahinja Pavlovic's header on to the top off the crossbar.
Minutes later, Pavlovic headed a corner just past the near post.
The Milan debutant was also decisive at the other end, in his natural position, as the center back rushed in to make an amazing sliding tackle to prevent Man — who had gone clear on goal — from scoring an almost certain second.
The 23-year-old Pavlovic, who joined from Salzburg at the end of last month, made another decisive tackle to deny Valentin Mihaila at the start of the second half.
That was shortly after Tijjani Reijnders hit the crossbar for Milan.
Ange-Yoan Bonny thought he had doubled Parma's lead on the hour mark but it was ruled out for offside and Milan leveled shortly after.
Rafael Leao danced down the left flank and played a one-two with Theo Hernandez before rolling it across for Pulisic, who just had to tap into an empty net from six yards.
However, Parma restored its lead with another devastating counterattack. Pontus Almqvist raced from inside his own half and into the box before rolling across for Cancellieri to slot into the bottom left corner.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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