Pulisic: 'Olimpico' goal for Milan was 'a bit of luck'

Christian Pulisic continued his sensational start to the season on Tuesday, scoring directly from a corner in AC Milan‘s 3-1 UEFA Champions League win against Belgium’s Club Brugge.

The United States star opened the scoring in the 34th minute at the San Siro, sending in an inswinging corner from the left that deceived the goalkeeper and defenders and somehow missed everyone before bouncing into the net beyond the despairing attempted clearance on the goal line.

The effort was the first “Olimpico” goal of Pulisic’s career and took him to 10 goal contributions in his past 10 games for club and country. It was also the 26-year-old’s second goal in three Champions League games this season, after scoring in Milan’s opening defeat to Liverpool last month.

After Tuesday’s goal, Pulisic raised his arms up and smiled broadly before being embraced by his teammates, as he laughed seeming incredulous. And he later admitted the goal had an element of fortune.

“Today it was a bit of luck but it’s still worth a goal. I’m very happy,” a laughing Pulisic said in Italian. “I didn’t try to do that but it was a good cross, I’ll say that, and after a nice, nice goal but I wasn’t trying that.”

In Serie A, Pulisic has scored five goals and added three assists in eight games this campaign. He also registered an assist in Mauricio Pochettino’s first game in charge of the USMNT, against Panama earlier this month.

“I work hard every day. I always want to be decisive in matches,” he said. “I’m very happy this year, I’m getting a lot of goals and assists, but it’s not always like that. So I’ll continue like this and hope to continue scoring.”

Belgium’s Brugge had to play most of Tuesday’s game with 10 men after Raphael Onyedika was sent off in the 40th minute but still leveled the score with a goal from Kyriani Sabbe in the 51st.

Tijjani Reijnders later scored twice to give Milan a much-needed first win in this season’s Champions League, having also lost to Bayer Leverkusen.

There was a late scare — and coach Paulo Fonseca certainly looked concerned —when Pulisic had to be helped off late after taking a knock to his knee but the 26-year-old was able to return and almost doubled his tally.

Sixteen-year-old Francesco Camarda was brought on in the 75th minute and became the youngest Italian debutant in the Champions League. He briefly thought he had broken the record for youngest Champions League scorer too, but his header was ruled offside to halt joyous celebrations.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.