AC Milan secured a spot in the Coppa Italia's last 16 by defeating Lecce 3-0 at San Siro. Santiago Gimenez broke his goal drought, followed by Christopher Nkunku's first goal for Milan. Christian Pulisic
sealed the victory, setting up a clash with Lazio. The match saw Ruben Loftus-Cheek's early attempt cleared off the line and Nkunku hitting the post in the 10th minute.
Lecce faced an uphill battle when Jamil Siebert received a red card after a VAR review for fouling Nkunku. Gimenez capitalised on this advantage, scoring in the 20th minute from Davide Bartesaghi's cross. Adrien Rabiot then hit the woodwork, adding to Milan's near misses. Loftus-Cheek also struck the frame of the goal early in the second half.
Nkunku extended Milan's lead in the 51st minute with an impressive volley from Alexis Saelemaeker's cross. Pulisic, coming off the bench, scored just three minutes later, converting Youssouf Fofana’s delivery past Christian Fruchtl to secure Milan’s win.
What a way to open your Milan account pic.twitter.com/0vxOH479ai AC Milan (@acmilan) September 23, 2025
Milan dominated offensively but might question how they only netted three times despite creating numerous opportunities. They recorded an expected goals (xG) tally of 4.33 from 24 shots, while Lecce managed just 0.17 xG from two attempts. This match marked Nkunku’s first goal for Milan and his career’s 100th across various clubs.
Pulisic continued his impressive record against Lecce, scoring his sixth goal in five matches against them. His consistent performance against this team highlights his effectiveness in crucial moments.
Massimiliano Allegri’s side showed attacking prowess throughout but were repeatedly denied by the woodwork. Despite these challenges, their ability to convert key chances ensured a comfortable victory and progression in the tournament.
Milan's next challenge will be against Lazio as they aim to continue their successful run in the Coppa Italia. The team will look to build on this performance and maintain their momentum moving forward into future fixtures.
