Christian Pulisic scored a stunning goal in the 34th minute to put AC Milan ahead against Belgium's Club Brugge in the third matchday of the UEFA Champions League. The American forward took a corner kick from the left side of the pitch, and goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was unable to stop the strike. 

With this goal, Pulisic reaches seven goals this season, along with three assists, further cementing his excellent form. This goal gives the Italian side the lead.

How Did Milan Fare in Their Victory Against Brugge?

After initially struggling but later taking advantage of their numerical superiority, though still without delivering a convincing performance, Milan secured their first Champions League victory on Tuesday against Brugge (3-1), winning by the minimum margin thanks to a brilliant Olimpico goal from Pulisic and a game-saving brace by Reijnders.

Milan had to work harder than expected at home to bring their fans their first European joy of the season. It came in a match where they didn’t play well, raised doubts once again, and only favorable circumstances — embodied in their numerical advantage from the 40th minute onward — allowed them to claim their first three points.

Fonseca’s side experienced a rollercoaster against the Belgian team. They went from being on the ropes in the opening minutes to having everything go their way before halftime, with Pulisic’s goal and Onyedika’s red card. However, just when they were at their best, the 'Rossoneri' had to get back to work when Brugge, despite being a player down, managed to equalize, setting off alarms at San Siro.

Milan endured constant attacks from a relentless Brugge side at San Siro, forcing Mike Maignan to step up and save the day. First, it was a shot from Tzolis in the 2nd minute. Then, Jutglá sent a shot narrowly over the bar in the 3rd. Another effort from Tzolis from the left side of the attack forced Maignan to make a long stretch to his far post. And the clearest chance came when a powerful strike from Ordóñez smashed off the crossbar. All of this happened within a nerve-wracking 10 minutes.

Milan, intimidated and lacking ideas in midfield, focused their attack on the left side, where Rafael Leao attempted to dismantle Brugge’s well-organized defense, which was determined to leave the Giuseppe Meazza with something to show for it.

It was the Portuguese winger who created Milan’s first clear chance. He drove inside, skipping past defenders before laying the ball off perfectly to Pulisic, who fired unsuccessfully at Mignolet.

Milan didn’t create much more danger in the first half. Not even their first goal came from a textbook play. It was a tight corner from Pulisic in the 34th minute that neither Morata nor Gabbia could reach, but it ended up rolling gently into Mignolet’s net, as he anticipated a deflection.

That was the first major blow of the match. The second came with a completely mistimed tackle by Onyedika, which, after a VAR review, led to his dismissal. Milan seemed to have the game in hand, but instead of closing it out, they conceded the equalizer early in the second half in a play that made it seem like the team with a numerical advantage was actually Brugge.

A long possession, side to side, stretching Milan. The move ended with right-back Sabbe arriving unmarked from the second line and slotting the ball past Maignan, who couldn’t believe his team had conceded with an extra player on the field.

Fonseca had to shake things up from the bench, bringing on Chukwueze and Okafor to spark some life into the attack. It worked. Just a minute after the changes, Okafor conjured up a fantastic play from the byline, delivering a perfect low cross to Reijnders in the heart of the box. The Dutchman finished first-time, restoring smiles in the stands at San Siro.

With the surprise behind them and now clearly superior, dominating physically and taking advantage of Brugge’s fatigue, Milan managed to seal the deal. The same goalscorer struck again, in a similar play but from the opposite flank. Chukwueze mirrored Okafor’s earlier move and set up Reijnders to make it 3-1.

The fourth goal could have come, marking a historic moment if not for being offside, as Francesco Camarda’s header found the net. The academy product would have become the youngest scorer in Champions League history, surpassing Ansu Fati.

It could have been a perfect ending to a strange night in which Milan suffered far more than expected and again exposed their weaknesses. But after losses to Liverpool and Leverkusen, Milan finally secured their first Champions League victory.