Milan's Comeback: A Tale of Substitutes and Turnarounds

AC Milan pulled off an impressive comeback against Juventus to secure a spot in the Supercoppa Italiana final. The game's turning point was the substitutions made by coach Sergio Conceicao. Let's take a look at how the players fared. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan had a mixed game. He couldn't keep out a powerful shot from Yildiz but made some good saves, especially in the second half. Defender Emerson Royal had his ups and downs. He made some solid defensive plays but struggled in the build-up, especially in the first half. Fikayo Tomori, who hasn't seen much playing time lately, had some positioning issues that could have cost Milan. However, he also had some good interventions. Abdoulaye Thiaw was Milan's standout defender. His positioning was spot-on, and he covered well for his teammates. Theo Hernandez had a night to forget. He was at fault for the first goal and missed a sitter in the second half. However, he was involved in winning a penalty. Ismaël Bennacer struggled with his fitness and had a sloppy game. His replacement in the second half showed how it should be done. Nouhoum Fofana started well but faded. He struggled in the build-up and didn't have much success with his shots. Calvin Reijnders had a rough night with the ball, making many technical errors that hurt his creativity. Christian Pulisic was disappointing until he won a penalty that changed the game. He could have been more impactful earlier. Alvaro Morata had a hand in all of Milan's dangerous chances. He set up a missed sitter and combined well for the winning goal. Raúl Jiménez struggled to make an impact and his crosses weren't the best. Substitutes made a big difference. Yunus Musah was fantastic, creating chances and scoring a lucky goal. Tammy Abraham brought energy and skill, while Matteo Gabbia saved a goal with a great block.