da aposte e ganhe: Weston McKennie and Tim Weah left San Siro with three points as Juventus took down Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah and AC Milan.
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Juve win 1-0Four USMNT stars startWeah the standout American
It was a big day for Americans in Italy as all four U.S. men's national team stars started in a clash of two Scudetto hopefuls. The contest was, however, slightly derailed by a first half red card that led to one of those Americans, Pulisic, being taken off of the field as Milan boss Stefano Pioli reshuffled his lineup.
In the end, though, Weah, McKennie and Juventus got the last laugh against their USMNT teammates as Juve earned a 1-0 win that opened up the Serie a title picture in a big way.
GettyWHAT HAPPENED?
With Milan on the front foot, the match was turned on its head just five minutes before halftime. Juventus forward Moise Kean got through on goal and was hacked down by Malick Thiaw, giving the referee no choice but to send the Milan centerback off.
Needing to reshape his team, Stefano Pioli opted to take Christian Pulisic off, and the American winger looked extremely frustrated as he marched toward the bench.
Up a man going forward, Juve finally got their goal in the 63rd minute as midfielder Manuel Locatelli fired a shot that deflected off Rade Krunic and into the back of the net. Weah was credited with the assist on Locatelli's goal, while the American star also played the pass that led to Thiaw's red card.
In the end, Juventus held on to the win, leaving them in third with 20 points. Milan, with the loss, sit second on 21, one point behind their eternal rivals Inter, who have held on to the top spot in Serie A.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
We only got the promised matchup for the first half, with Pulisic's removal robbing fans of the chance to see all of the USMNT stars go head-to-head. However, Musah and McKennie did face off for large stretches, with both starting in midfield.
Musah, at one point, put in strong tackle on Weah, who he pushed off the field in pursuit of the ball, while he and McKennie did meet up at several points in the center of the park.
Overall, with the four starting, the U.S. was the second-most represented country on the field, behind only Italy, on what felt like a historic day for American soccer.
GettyUSMNT IMPACT
Gregg Berhalter was in the house for Sunday's match, and for good reason. For Berhalter, and many Americans, it felt like a landmark moment for the American game.
"It's a special moment for U.S. Soccer," Berhalter told . "To think about these two traditional clubs and now to have four U.S. players with the opportunity com compete in a game like this, we've come a long way. For me to be here is an honor, but mostly it's about supporting the guys because it's a great group of guys."
The occasion, of course, was ruined a bit by Pulisic's early substitution, but it doesn't diminish from the moment too much. Two of the biggest clubs in the world began a match with two Americans each in a match with real stakes.
There will be another match between these two sides in April, and all involved will hope for a cleaner match that allows all four to stay on the field and compete.
GettyGOAL'S RATINGS
Weston McKennie (7/10):
Sent one really good chance into the highest levels of the San Siro but, other than that, was solid for Juve. Was good defensively, although it helped Milan were up a man, and was solid enough in the attack, that missed shot aside.
Yunus Musah (6/10):
Was just a bit too quiet, although part of that will be due to the fact that his side was down a man. Didn't contribute enough and, in one of Milan's few real chances, he was unable to really control a cross from Rafael Leao.
Christian Pulisic (6/10):
A very incomplete game from the American, although he wasn't doing too much even prior to Milan's red card. He did, nearly, get a chance on goal after Olivier Giroud's shot was saved, but Wojciech Szczesny's parry went just past the American.
Tim Weah (8/10):
Of the four Americans, Weah was far an away the best on the field and it could be argued that he was the standout player of the entire game. Will be credited with the assist on the goal, although that was a bit lucky. It was deserved, though, as Weah routinely got forward and created danger with several dangerous crosses.