AC Milan produced a stunning comeback to defeat Juventus 2-1 in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final, securing a spot in the final against Inter Milan. This victory was especially significant as it marked the debut match of Milan's new manager, Sergio Conceicao, who was brought in to revive the team's fortunes after a tough start to the season. The match, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Friday, saw Conceicao's Milan side deliver an unexpected performance that left their fans celebrating.
Juventus took the lead in the 21st minute through a goal from Kenan Yildiz, who had stepped in for Francisco Conceicao—Sergio's son—after he sustained an injury during the warm-up. Yildiz's goal, which came after a swift and well-executed counter-attack, gave Juventus the upper hand and the 19-year-old forward made history by becoming the second-youngest scorer in Supercoppa Italiana history, following Mario Balotelli's record back in 2008.
However, Milan responded in the second half. In the 71st minute, Manuel Locatelli of Juventus fouled Milan's Christian Pulisic inside the penalty area, and the referee awarded a penalty. Pulisic calmly converted the penalty, bringing Milan level at 1-1. Just four minutes later, Milan completed the turnaround when Federico Gatti of Juventus accidentally deflected a cross from Yunus Musah into his own net, handing Milan a 2-1 lead.
The match was a disappointing one for Juventus, who had been unbeaten in Serie A this season and had not lost a domestic match since April. Despite dominating possession, Juventus was unable to hold on to their lead, and Milan's resilience proved to be the difference in the game.
While Juventus’ Yildiz had an outstanding performance, the night ultimately belonged to AC Milan and their new coach. Milan’s victory was built on a more clinical attacking display, managing an expected goals (xG) value of 1.55 compared to Juventus' 1.02, and the team capitalized on key moments, especially after Locatelli’s foul that gave Milan the chance to equalize. Conceicao's successful debut left the fans hopeful for a brighter future, as Milan now heads into the Supercoppa final with renewed confidence and momentum.
