Tijjani Reijnders was the hero for AC Milan in their 2-1 victory over Serie A newcomers Como on Saturday, helping his team recover from a first-half deficit. The Dutch midfielder scored the decisive goal in the 76th minute, set up by a brilliant pass from Tammy Abraham. Milan’s victory saw them rise to seventh in the league, just three points off the European qualification spots.
Reijnders had a hand in both of Milan’s goals, as he also assisted Christian Pulisic, who levelled the score seven minutes into the second half. The 26-year-old came close to scoring again, hitting the crossbar before finding the net for his 13th goal of the season. His performance was crucial in calming the angry home fans, who had booed the team off the pitch at half-time after Milan trailed to Lucas Da Cunha’s 33rd-minute goal.
Despite Milan’s victory, the crowd’s frustration was evident, with supporters continuing to call for the club’s American owners, RedBird Capital, to sell. For Como, the defeat was tough, as they had performed admirably and remained in 13th place, comfortably above the relegation zone.
The match ended on a sour note for Como when Dele Alli, making his debut for the club after struggling to find form since leaving Tottenham, was shown a straight red card in the final minute for a reckless challenge on Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Coach Cesc Fabregas also received a red card for dissent shortly after, as Como left Milan empty-handed despite a commendable display.
