A late strike by Christian Pulisic earned AC Milan a 1-0 win at promoted Genoa that put them top of Serie A on Saturday but the game ended in chaos as both keepers were sent off and striker Olivier Giroud went in goal for the visitors.

US international Pulisic netted in the 87th minute with a half-volley from near the penalty spot after he was brilliantly set up by Yunus Musah to give Milan the lead.

But the three points were hanging by a thread as the game took a chaotic turn when Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan saw red for a foul on Caleb Ekuban late in stoppage time and Giroud took his spot in goal.

Luckily for the Frenchman, Genoa’s Albert Gudmundsson crashed a free kick against the bar from the edge of the box and Giroud then brilliantly denied George Puscas just before the final whistle.

“I like to think that what Giroud did is part of our mentality,” coach Stefano Pioli told DAZN.

Milan, who earned their seventh win in eight games, moved two points clear at the top of the table after rivals Inter Milan threw away an early two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home to Bologna earlier on Saturday.

Monaco cruise

AS Monaco moved top of Ligue 1 after Ismail Jakobs, Folarin Balogun and Wissam Ben Yedder scored in a 3-1 win at fourth-placed Reims on Saturday.

Monaco took the lead just before half time when defender Jakobs netted from close range for his first Ligue 1 goal since he joined the club from Cologne in 2021.

Striker Balogun doubled the lead for the visitors early in the second half with a fine finish from close range before Wissam Ben Yedder made it 3-0 with a header three minutes later.

Reims pulled a goal back from the penalty spot when midfielder Teddy Teuma sent an unstoppable shot past Monaco keeper Philipp Koehn after Monaco substitute Christian Matsima fouled Marshall Munetsi.

Monaco lead the standings on 17 points from eight games, one point ahead of Nice.