AC Milan's resilience shone through at the San Siro as they secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain, marking their first UEFA Champions League win of the season. Rafael Leao's standout display led the charge, helping the team to bounce back from an early deficit and keep their last-16 hopes very much alive.

After enduring a four-match winless streak, Milan's win was a testament to their tenacity, especially after falling behind to an early goal from PSG's Milan Skriniar. The home side quickly regrouped, and it was their young star, Leao, who stepped up to the plate. His response to recent criticism was emphatic, as he orchestrated the equalizer and continued to trouble the PSG defense throughout the match.

Leao's early alert to his intentions on the pitch set the tone, despite Loftus-Cheek sending an early chance over the bar. But it was Leao's creativity and persistence that eventually paid off. Following a firm save from Donnarumma on Giroud's shot, Leao executed a stunning bicycle kick to draw Milan level, igniting the San Siro with hope and belief.

The game was a rollercoaster of emotions, with both teams creating and squandering chances. PSG's individual talent posed a constant threat, with Dembele hitting the woodwork and Mbappe missing a clear one-on-one opportunity. For Milan, Giroud was a constant thorn in PSG's side, with his powerful shot just missing the target, wrapping up an eventful first half.

The second half saw Milan assert their dominance with Giroud’s header marking the turnaround. Luis Enrique’s tactical changes for PSG, aiming to regain control, failed to stifle Milan’s momentum. Theo Hernández almost widened the lead with a free-kick, but Donnarumma's reaction kept PSG within reach. Despite the Parisians' late surge, Milan's defense held firm, with only Kang-In Lee rattling the woodwork in the closing stages.

With this pivotal win, Milan now sits third in their group, trailing PSG by a single point and group leader Dortmund by two, ahead of Newcastle. This victory not only revives Milan's campaign but also adds intrigue to one of the most competitive groups in the tournament.

Match Details:

Milan 2 - Maignan; Calabria, Thiaw, Tomori, Theo Hernández; Loftus-Cheek, Reijnders, Musah (Krunic, m.84); Pulisic (Florenzi, m.92), Leao (Okafor, m.84), Giroud.

PSG 1 - Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Skriniar (Barcola, m.90), Lucas Hernández (Mukiele, m.65); Vitinha (Kang-In Lee, m.60), Ugarte (Fabián Ruiz, m.60), Zaire-Emery; Dembelé, Mbappe, and Kolo Muani (Gonzalo Ramos, m.60).

Goals: 0-1, m.9: Skriniar; 1-1, m.12: Leao; 2-1, m.50: Giroud

Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano (ESP). Booked: Musah (m.66) for Milan; Vitinha (m.24), Kolo Mouani (m.29), Ugarte (m.43), Lucas Hernández (m.55), and Skriniar (m.80) for PSG.

Incidents: A match from the fourth round of the Champions League group stage played at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium (San Siro) in Milan.