Christian Pulisic sinks USMNT teammate in Saudi Arabia | All Football

Juventus and AC Milan met in the semi-finals of the Supercoppa Italia, played at Al -Awwal Park, Riyadh.

Christian Pulisic was on the scoresheet for AC Milan on Friday, helping his side to a 2-1 win over Juventus in the Supercoppa Italia. The USMNT star returned from injury in taking time out against fellow international Weston McKennie, who played for Juventus.

Juve took the lead at Al-Awwal Park, Saudi Arabia through youngster Kenan Yildiz. Pulisic made things right from the spot before Federico Gatti’s own goal put Milan ahead with just 15 minutes remaining.

Pulisic and McKennie started for their teams, coming up against each other on the flank. McKennie was played as a temporary left-back for Juventus, while Pulisic operated from the right wing. Milan now move on to take on the city’s rivals Between Milan in the final round.

The Supercoppa is an annual meeting of the best teams in Italy. Since 2023 it has included a winner and runner-up in the Italian championship and the Coppa Italia, the domestic cup competition.

Why is the Supercoppa Italia played in Saudi Arabia?

Juventus and AC Milan are two of Europe’s true football giants. Juventus have won more championships than any other Italian team, while AC Milan are the nation’s most successful team in continental competition. See these two teams step into the field Saudi Arabia It may seem like a disconnect, but the The Supercoppa Italia has long been an international affair.

Since its introduction in 1988, Supercoppa matches have been held in the United States, China, Qatar and Libya. The move abroad is nothing new but it hints at a growing sporting partnership between Saudi Arabia and Italian football.

This year’s edition is the fifth time that the Supercoppa Italia has been held in Saudi Arabia. The first, in 2019, ended with Juventus’ victory over AC Milan, thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal.

Italian football’s top flight, Serie A, entered into a five-year deal with the Saudi General Sports Authority (GSA) in a bid to bring more elite-level sport to the region. In 2023 it was expanded to a four-team tournament, replacing the previous two-team version.