17 May 2026

Milan beat Genoa 2-1 in Serie A to stay on course for Champions League

Milan took a big step toward next season’s Champions League with a 2-1 win at Genoa. Christopher Nkunku’s penalty and Zachary Athekame’s late strike did the job at Luigi Ferraris, despite a late reply from Johan Vásquez.

Key moments at Luigi Ferraris

The breakthrough came on 50 minutes when Nkunku converted a penalty after drawing the foul himself. Genoa chased, but Milan doubled the lead in the 81st minute, Athekame finishing left-footed from close range after Christian Pulisic’s delivery. The hosts set up a tense finish when captain Johan Vásquez scored in the 86th minute, yet Milan closed it out.

Both teams dipped into the bench in the final stretch. Milan brought on Niclas Füllkrug and Pulisic before the second goal, then added Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Koni De Winter late on. Genoa introduced Jeff Ekhator and Caleb Ekuban to push for an equalizer, but could not find it.

Numbers that tell the story

Genoa had more of the ball, 62% possession, and took 11 shots, but managed just 2 on target. Milan were efficient, hitting 6 shots on target from 8 attempts and posting a higher xG, 1.84 to 1.35. The visitors also blocked danger well, leading clearances 25 to 16 and interceptions 7 to 4.

Genoa did create 3 big chances to Milan’s 2, and won 63% of their duels, a reminder of how competitive the game was. In goal, Justin Bijlow made 4 saves for the hosts, while Mike Maignan needed just 1 at the other end.

Who stood out on Sofascore

Zachary Athekame was Milan’s top performer with a Sofascore Rating of 8.2, scoring the decisive goal and adding a key pass. Nkunku delivered in the key moment, scoring from the spot and earning a 7.5 Sofascore Rating. Maignan posted a solid 7.3 with strong claims and clean distribution under pressure.

For Genoa, Johan Vásquez led the way with a 7.7 Sofascore Rating thanks to his goal and proactive defending. Morten Frendrup and Alexsandro Amorim both added bite in midfield with 7.3 each.

What it means for Milan’s season

This away win keeps Massimiliano Allegri’s side firmly on track for a Champions League place. The performance was pragmatic and clinical, exactly what is needed this late in the Serie A season. Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa made it a battle, but Milan’s finishing quality told.

With one round to go, confidence should be high. Fans can dive deeper into player stats, heatmaps and live momentum on Sofascore, which tracked every kick from Genova.

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