Benevento, the Italian team that has lost every game of the season, gained their first point ever at a game against AC Milan thanks to the keeper's diving header in stoppage time.
ADVERTISEMENTGoalkeeper Alberto Brignoli gave Benevento their first-ever point in Italy's Serie A after scoring with a header in the 95th minute against AC Milan on Sunday (December 3). The match ended with a 2-2 draw.
It's the first year the team has played in Italy's top league—but they have lost all of their previous 14 games.
Brignoli joined the rest of his team in the box for Danilo Cataldi’s free-kick and jumped higher than Milan’s defense to send a header into the bottom corner of the net.
“There was nothing to lose. I just closed my eyes and jumped. It was a goalkeeper’s goal, not a forward's goal,” said Brignoli.
The 26-year-old became the first goalkeeper to score in Serie A since Massimo Taibi for Reggina in 2001.
For AC Milan’s new coach, Gennaro Gattuso, Brignoli’s last-minute equaliser "hurt more than a knife wound".
“I would never have expected to concede a goal in the last minute with the opposition goalkeeper scoring,” he said.
Benevento remains at the bottom of the table and is expected to maintain the spot.
“In terms of the standings, it doesn’t change anything but in terms of morale, it’s a real boost,” said Benevento’s coach Roberto De Zerbi.
“The lads deserved it. There have been other games where we deserved a point but this time, we went looking for it with more conviction and more anger.”