Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Monday scored twice on his first start in two months as AC Milan beat Cagliari 2-0 to pull ahead of city rivals Inter at the top of the Serie A table.
Ibrahimovic, 39, got the first from the penalty spot after seven minutes, adding a second just after the break in Sardinia.
Milan, targeting their first league title since 2010-2011 when Ibrahimovic last played on the team, pull three points ahead of Inter, who beat champions Juventus 2-0 at the San Siro on Sunday.
Photo: AFP
“This victory is a sign above all to ourselves, more than Inter,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli said. “We all want to bring Milan back to the top. The team will do everything from here to the end. Now we have an important game against Atalanta [BC on Saturday]. We focus on that — then, in March and April, we will see where we are.”
Ibrahimovic proved that he has returned to his best, with the club set to sign former Juventus and Bayern Munich forward Mario Mandzukic to help their title push.
“Ibra will take care of keeping him [Mandzukic] at bay,” Pioli said, jokingly.
The Swede brought his tally to 12 goals in eight games with five doubles, including a brace on Nov. 22 last year against SSC Napoli, when he picked up the thigh injury that sidelined him.
Milan shook off the absences of defender Theo Hernandez and midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, who tested positive for COVID-19.
The visitors quickly took control of the game after Cagliari defender Charalampos Lykogiannis fouled Ibrahimovic.
Ibrahimovic decided to take the penalty ahead of regular spot-kicker Franck Kessie, after the Swede had missed twice from the spot before his injury.
Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno cleared a long-range Davide Calabria effort after 24 minutes, with the Italy defender hitting the post 10 minutes later.
Back after the break, Ibrahimovic connected with Calabria’s long-range effort finishing off with the goal confirmed after a review by the video assistant referee.
Milan held their advantage, despite playing the final 15 minutes a man down after Alexis Saelemaekers was sent off for two bookings 10 minutes after leaving the bench.
Cagliari, just above the relegation zone in 17th position, fall to their fifth consecutive defeat on an 11-match winless run stretching back to Nov. 7 last year.
Milan next play sixth-placed Atalanta to keep their push for a 19th scudetto and return to UEFA Champions League soccer for the first time since the 2013-2014 season on track.
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