Nkunku scored twice as Milan temporarily takes the top spot in Serie A

28/12/2025 21:42:00 ScoreStream

AC Milan put on a relatively impressive display by beating Hellas Verona 3-0 at San Siro in the 17th round of Serie A.

The brightest star for the Rossoneri was Christopher Nkunku, who scored a brace within the first few minutes of the second half, helping Milan temporarily climb to the top of the league table.

Following the loss to Napoli in the Italian Super Cup semi-final, coach Max Allegri made two changes to the starting lineup. Davide Bartesaghi was given a chance on the left wing, while Luka Modric returned to the starting eleven replacing Ardon Jashari. For Verona, the visitors did not deploy Gift Orban upfront but relied on the forward duo Daniel Mosquera and Giovane.

Although favored and playing at home, Milan faced considerable difficulty breaking down Verona’s compact defense in the first half. The visitors organized disciplined play, maintained good possession, and minimized dangerous attacks from the Rossoneri. Most of Milan’s chances came from set pieces but lacked the sharpness to make an impact.

Nkunku scores twice, Milan temporarily leads Serie A

The turning point of the match came in first-half stoppage time. From a free kick on the left flank, Luka Modric delivered an accurate cross into the penalty area. Adrien Rabiot rose to head the ball on, enabling Christian Pulisic to rush in and finish from close range, opening the scoring at 1-0 for Milan. This goal was the American’s 8th Serie A goal this season, putting him joint top of the scorers list alongside Lautaro Martinez.

Just after the start of the second half, Milan got lucky again when Nkunku was fouled inside the box less than a minute after the break. The French striker stepped up to take the penalty and coolly converted it, scoring his first Serie A goal and making it 2-0.

Riding the momentum, Nkunku quickly completed his brace a few minutes later. Modric’s long-range shot hit the post, and while Verona’s defense was unsettled, Nkunku was in the right place to tap in and secure a 3-0 win for Milan. This was his first Serie A goal after 11 matches without scoring, and he did it in an impressive manner.

The convincing victory over Verona allowed AC Milan to temporarily rise to the top of the Serie A table, two points ahead of Inter. However, this lead is not yet guaranteed as Inter will play Atalanta in a later match. Meanwhile, the loss at San Siro pushes Hellas Verona further down into the relegation zone.

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