Christian Pulisic made a significant impact as a second-half substitute, aiding Milan to a vital 2-1 victory against Genoa this past Sunday.
After missing the previous match due to a lower back issue, the U.S. national team forward returned ahead of schedule, entering the game in the 76th minute with Milan ahead 1-0, thanks to a penalty converted by Christopher Nkunku.
The 27-year-old quickly made his presence felt, assisting Zachary Athekame just five minutes later, as Athekame scored with a precise shot from outside the box.
Genoa’s Johan Vásquez responded shortly after, scoring to narrow the gap.
Despite the assist, Pulisic has not found the back of the net in his last 18 league appearances, a drought that dates back to December 28. Additionally, he has not scored in his last eight matches for the U.S. team.
Looking ahead, the U.S. has upcoming friendlies against Senegal on May 31 and Germany on June 6, before starting their World Cup journey against Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California.
Champions League Race Intensifies
In other Serie A action, Napoli locked in their place for next season’s Champions League, while the remaining two spots are still up for grabs among four teams.
Goals from Scott McTominay, Amir Rrahmani, and Rasmus Højlund propelled Napoli to an uncomplicated 3-0 victory over the already relegated Pisa, securing their top-four position with one match left to play.
Roma also claimed victory on Sunday, positioning themselves level on points with AC Milan at 70 points, placing them third and fourth respectively. Juventus and Como trail by two points.
Milan and Roma are set to face off against Cagliari and Hellas Verona respectively in their final fixtures. Meanwhile, Juventus will visit Torino for the derby, and Como will travel to Cremonese.
All these matches will kick off simultaneously, just like in the penultimate round.
Inter Milan clinched the Serie A title with three games to spare and will celebrate after their match against Hellas Verona, marking their last home game of the season.
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this story.