In a thrilling display of resilience and determination, AC Milan overturned a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 against city rivals Inter Milan to clinch the Italian Super Cup on Monday night. Under new coach Sergio Conceicao, who has only been in charge for a week, the Rossoneri showed their fighting spirit, marking a promising start to his tenure.
After being behind at half-time following goals from Lautaro Martinez and Mehdi Taremi, Milan reversed the trend in the second half, propelled by Rafael Leao’s decisive entry during the match. Leao, now a central figure in the team, played a crucial role in all three of AC Milan’s goals, demonstrating his exceptional talent and vision on the pitch.
Theo Hernandez paved the way for the comeback with a remarkable free kick that effortlessly rounded the Inter wall, a direct result of Leao’s foul. Then, during a dazzling counter-attack orchestrated by Leao, Christian Pulisic found the net, slipping the ball between the legs of Inter goalkeeper Augusto. Finally, in a breathtaking outcome, Leao’s assist allowed Tammy Abraham to score easily just before the match went to penalties.
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Conceicao, who replaced Paulo Fonseca a week earlier, quickly imposed his philosophy. “We played with confidence, courage and desire,” Abraham said after the match, highlighting the transformation in the team’s mentality. Pulisic shared his thoughts on the coach’s approach, saying Conceicao stressed the importance of zeal rather than just tactics. This change in mentality seems evident in their recent performances, including in a comeback against Juventus in the semi-final.
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Initially, Conceicao’s behavior suggested a direct approach to management — he famously said, “I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to win.” However, the final whistle saw him in great form, dancing with the players, cigar in hand, celebrating this significant victory.
The triumph marks AC Milan’s first trophy since their Serie A title in 2022 and their eighth Super Cup win in total, the last coming in 2016. Looking to the future, Milan’s next challenge comes this Saturday against Cagliari in Serie A, where they currently sit in eighth place after a disappointing start to the season.
On the other hand, Inter Milan suffered a setback, recording only their third defeat of the season in all competitions. Lautaro Martinez reflected on the match, saying: “Inter stopped playing when they were 2-0 up. You pay for it in games like this. We knew Milan’s best weapon was their counter-attacks .” This encounter adds a new chapter to the scorching rivalry, with Milan having triumphed in their previous league encounter as well.
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