Benevento have been breaking records for all the wrong reasons this season.
Before Sunday, the newly promoted side had not picked up a single point in 14 league games, with a goal difference of -28.
AC Milan came to town then and, despite a summer of spending big, the sleeping giants have problems of their own but those problems were supposed to pale in comparison to the Italian minnows who got promoted to Serie B for the first time ever last year and then went straight up to the top flight via the playoffs.
The climb was absolutely unprecedented and, eventually, they found themselves out of their depths.
Milan took the lead as expected through Giacomo Bonaventura in the 38th minute but Benevento responded well, equalising shortly after the break. Nikola Kalinić then restored Milan’s lead and it looked as if Benevento were facing a 15th straight defeat in the face and no-one would’ve thought anything else about the game.
Enter: Alberto Brignoli.
The goalkeeper.
On his fifth loan from Juventus in two years, the stopper became the unlikeliest of heroes as he rose above everybody in the box and powered home a 95th minute equaliser, sparkling glorious scenes.
https://twitter.com/SeanWaIker/status/937312675494813697
It is almost certain that they will still finish 20th, but they will always have this moment to enjoy. And what a moment it was.
As for Milan, newly appointed Gennaro Gattuso will be bitterly disappointed that his reign as coach at the San Siro didn’t get off to a better start. Dread to think what was said in his post-match team talk.
