Pulisic on target as AC Milan beat Napoli to go top of Serie A

Updated: Sep 28, 2025, 05:18 pm
10-man AC Milan saw out a big win on Sunday night.
Giuseppe Cottini/AC Milan via Getty Images

Napoli slipped from the top of Serie A after falling to a 2-1 defeat to 10-man AC Milan at the San Siro.

Victory for Roma earlier on Sunday against Verona had seen the champions' lead at the summit reduced to goal-difference, but the win for Milan saw them leapfrog both teams to take their place at the summit.

Christian Pulisic was key to the victory, setting up Alexis Saelemaekers to open the scoring early before turning goalscorer to double the lead just past the half hour.

Kevin De Bruyne reduced the arrears in the second half after Pervis Estupiñán had been dismissed for giving away a penalty, but despite a valiant effort late on Antonio Conte's side could not find a route back.

Saelemaekers put Milan into the lead inside three minutes and the goal owed everything to fine work from Pulisic. The United States international went on a driving run to make space for the final ball before teeing up Saelemaekers for an easy finish to put his side one up.

And it was two just past the hour mark, Youssouf Fofana getting on the end of a ball from Strahinja Pavlovic following a powerful run, then turning it into the path of Pulisic who finished via a slight deflection past goalkeeper Alex Meret.

The game took a turn in the second half when Estupinan upended Giovanni Di Lorenzo just as he was preparing to sweep Napoli back into the match, conceding a penalty. The referee initially showed a yellow card but after a VAR check the decision was upgraded to a red and Estupinan walked.

From the spot, De Bruyne sent Mike Maignan the wrong way to haul the champions back into it.

Miguel Gutiérrez then had Maignan worried with an effort that zipped just wide and soon Napoli were laying siege to the Milan goal, Eljif Elmas also going close with a strike that was well blocked by Adrien Rabiot.

David Neres struck the outside of the post at the beginning of seven minutes of stoppage time as Napoli sought the goal that would keep them at the table's summit.

Neres had a final try at beating Maignan, again the goalkeeper coming out on top as the visitors' unbeaten record slipped away.