Benevento goalkeeper dedicates stunning Milan goal to fans

Benevento goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli acted purely on instinct as he scored a memorable equaliser against AC Milan on Sunday.

The 26-year-old, on loan from Juventus, earned his side their first point in Serie A with a stunning header in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time and denied Gennaro Gattuso a win in his first game in charge of Milan.

Benevento had lost all 14 of their opening league games and scored only six goals before the visit of the Rossoneri, and they looked to be heading for another defeat thanks to goals from Giacomo Bonaventura and Nikola Kalinic either side of a George Puscas strike.

That was until Brignoli proved the hero in the dying seconds at Stadio Ciro Vigorito, launching himself at Danilo Cataldi’s free-kick to glance the ball beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma and send the home fans into raptures.

2001 – Prior to today the last goakeeper to score in Serie A was Massimo Taibi on 1st April 2001. Strange. #BeneventoMilan

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) December 3, 2017

“It’s such a strong feeling, indescribable,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “I dedicate the goal to all the fans who are living a dream that they hoped would have gone better.

“They [the coaches] told me to go up, that there was nothing to lose. I went to jump, closed my eyes and dived more like a goalkeeper than a striker.

“We’ve lost so many games unfairly at the end, even against Juventus. For once, after three months of sacrifice by everyone, it’s nice to be able to celebrate.

“This draw is for everyone and it would be selfish to talk only about me.”

Benevento are still eight points adrift at the bottom of the table after the result, while Milan are five behind sixth-place Sampdoria.