Christian Pulisic, the prodigious talent from the United States, marked his entrance into AC Milan with a bang, scoring once and assisting another goal, leading the team to a decisive 2-0 victory against Bologna in their Serie A season opener.
Having recently transferred to Milan, Pulisic showcased his unmistakable synergy with former Chelsea comrade, Olivier Giroud. He played a pivotal role in Giroud's inaugural goal of the match and was later reciprocated by the French striker in the 21st minute.
AC Milan, in an aggressive move to reinforce their squad, made headlines as they emerged as the most active Serie A club during the offseason. They roped in a whopping six new players, with Pulisic being one of the most notable acquisitions among them. However, Milan's Yunus Musah, another talent from the US, was noticeably absent due to suspension.
Two other new recruits, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tijjani Reijnders, were bestowed with starting roles in the match. Interestingly, Reijnders too played a part in Giroud's first goal. It was Pulisic's exemplary crossfield ball to Reijnders that was eventually redirected to Giroud for the score.
The dynamic U.S. winger further stamped his authority on the match, producing a stellar moment with Giroud and finding the net for himself a mere 10 minutes later.
Despite leading comfortably and facing the sweltering heat of almost 30 degrees Celsius in Bologna, AC Milan's momentum somewhat waned as the game progressed. Rafael Leão narrowly missed an opportunity to make it a three-goal lead, with his shot hitting the post in the dying minutes.
In other Serie A news, Claudio Ranieri made a return to the league. His managerial stint at Cagliari in their duel against Torino culminated in a 0-0 draw. Although Torino dominated with more opportunities, they, unfortunately, couldn't capitalize. Ranieri, aged 71, is celebrated for his coaching acumen, having successfully brought Cagliari to the top league via playoffs last season. His association with the club goes back over three decades, marking a poignant comeback.
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