Mexican striker Santi Giménez, the newest addition to AC Milan, sealed his team’s 2-0 victory against Empoli on Saturday with a stunning late goal. Alongside a strike from Portuguese star Rafael Leão, he helped push the Rossoneri closer to the European spots.

Immediate Impact at Milan

The impact of Giménez at Milan has been immediate. In his two appearances so far—both coming off the bench—he has contributed to two goals. First, he assisted João Félix at San Siro in the Coppa Italia against Roma, and now he has scored a brilliant goal to secure a hard-fought win against Empoli, which had come close to scoring early when Colombo hit the post.

Beyond Empoli’s defensive setup, the real challenge for Milan came in the 55th minute when Fikayo Tomori received a second yellow card, leaving his team with 10 players for over half an hour, still needing a win to stay in contention for the top spots.

Fortunately for the visitors, Marianucci, an Empoli center-back, made a costly mistake by losing his cool against Giménez, kicking him while the play was stopped. The referee immediately sent him off, crushing the home team’s hopes just 10 minutes after gaining the numerical advantage.

With the game opening up, Milan found more space. Conceição brought in Leão, Pulisic, and Giménez at halftime, forming a lethal attacking unit alongside João Félix. Just three minutes after Marianucci’s red card, the Rossoneri finally broke the deadlock with a powerful header from Leão, putting them on course for victory.

The goal eased the tension for Milan, and with Giménez on the field, things became even smoother. The Mexican forward created a goal that was as spectacular as it was crucial. He won an aerial duel in midfield, followed the play, and made a smart run to receive a pass from João Félix. Inside the box, he executed a perfect dribble and slotted the ball into the far corner with his left foot, sealing the game.

João Félix had a chance for a third goal, attempting a chip similar to his debut goal at San Siro, but the goalkeeper read his intentions. It didn’t matter in the end—Leão and Giménez had already done the job.

The Mexican striker brings Milan closer to European qualification. Up next: an eagerly awaited reunion with Feyenoord in the first leg of the Champions League play-off on Wednesday.