AC Milan and Serie A-leading Inter Milan drew 1-1 in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinals on Wednesday, leaving all to play for in the return leg later this month. And while Christian Pulisic started on the right flank for Milan and was active until his 76th-minute substitution, there were few highlights on the night for the U.S. national team star.
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A hero for Milan on many occasions this season, Pulisic was contained by Inter’s compact defensive structure. There were flashes of tight control and speed in transition, but Inter locked up the half spaces where Pulisic was looking for touches.
England international Tammy Abraham earned the start at striker for Milan over January signing and Mexico star Santiago Giménez. After a slow start and conservative play in the first 45 minutes, Milan came out for the second half with a much more aggressive mindset. Abraham scored in the 47th minute after a clever turn inside the Inter penalty area. His sharp finish to the far post beat Inter goalkeeper Josep Martínez for the opener.
Tammy Abraham with the breakthrough for Milan 💪
That’s now four goals in three Coppa Italia games for the forward 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Q8jJ4M4Abf
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 2, 2025
Meanwhile, Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan was nearly flawless in goal. His reflex saves and experienced play kept Inter off the scoresheet until the 67th minute. Inter playmaker Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s belter of a strike from just outside the Milan penalty area finally beat Maignan to equalize for the favorites, who are seeking their third Coppa title in four seasons. It was a relief for Inter, which was not particularly sharp and outplayed for the majority of the second half.
HAKAN ÇALHANOĞLU. STUNNER. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/iDi8gL58yX
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 2, 2025
Milan’s Portuguese winger Rafael Leão was sensational and a constant danger for manager Sérgio Conceição’s side. The 1-1 result was a boon for Milan, which has been among Europe’s most disappointing teams this season. Once second in Serie A, Milan is now ninth in the table, 20 points behind its city rival.
The Coppa Italia is Milan’s only shot at earning an opportunity to play in a European competition next season. If Milan wins the domestic cup – something it hasn’t done since 2003 – it would qualify for the Europa League in 2025-26. On the flip side, for Milan and Pulisic, a trophy-less season is still a possibility. The American winger has been one of the lone bright spots for Milan, but missing out on European football next season would add to his overall frustrations. And after the USMNT fell short in the Concacaf Nations League last month, the Gold Cup this summer would then be Pulisic’s last chance to win a title in 2025 – presuming he’s part of Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.
The second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinals between Milan and Inter will be played on April 23. Bologna and Empoli are in the other semifinal, with Bologna holding a 3-0 lead after a first-leg triumph on Tuesday.
(Top photo: Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
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