Rafael Leao, Davide Calabria's, Ismael Bennacer and Zlatan Ibrahimovic netted for AC Milan as they move to the top of the points table.
Follow Us
AC Milan beat nine-man Bologna 4-2 in the Serie A fixture at Renato Dall’Ara on Saturday to go top of the points table. Rafael Leao opened the scoring for AC Milan before Adama Soumauro received the home side’s first red card of the night. Davide Calabria doubled the lead, ten minutes from break. Meanwhile Bologna reduced the deficit early in the second half courtesy of an own goal by Zlatan Ibrahimovic and then Musa Barrow leveled the score. However, two minutes before the hour-mark, Bologna forward Roberto Soriano saw red card for a nasty late stamp on Fode Ballo-Toure. Ismael Bennacer and Ibrahimovic scored two late goals to secure the three points for Stefano Pioli’s side.
Milan boss Pioli had made two changes to the starting line-up from the midweek Champions League loss to Porto. Ibrahimovic and Samu Castillejo got their first starts of the season in place of Olivier Giroud and Alexis Saelemaekers respectively.
Bologna started the match positively as the visitors struggled to find their rhythm. Pioli’s side were guilty of giving away possession cheaply on multiple occasions. Milan goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu was called into action within six minutes of kick-off as he had to make an easy save to deny Hickey.
In the 14th minute, Tatarusanu was crowded out from a corner and Arnautovic missed his header at the far post. However, Milan took the lead against the run of play on 16 minutes. Ibrahimovic released Leao down the left flank with a precise through ball. The Portuguese forward got inside the box and fired in at the near post with the help of a fortunate deflection from Medel.
In the 20th minute, Soumaoro was sent off for bringing down Rade Krunic who was through on goal. And then, a few moments later, Ibrahimovic missed a chance to double the lead as he failed to generate enough power into his header after being set up by Ballo-Toure. However, in the 35th minute, Milan doubled their advantage courtesy of a stunning strike from full-back Calabria.
Ballo-Toure’s cross fell to the path of Krunic after being parried away by Skorupski but the Bosian’s first-time shot was deflected into the path of onrushing Calabria, who smashed the loose ball into the roof of the net via a deflection.
Pioli made two changes on the break as Alexis Saelemaekers and Tiemoue Bakayoko came in place of Castillejo and Tonali respectively. Within four minutes of restart, Bologna reduced the deficit as a corner from the left flank deflected in off Ibrahimovic at the near post. And then, in the 52nd minute, Barrow leveled the score. Soriano played a brilliant through ball to release Barrow on goal and the 22-year-old finished inside the far post past the onrushing Tatarusanu.
However, Bologna’s celebrations were short-lived as their second player was sent off in the game in the 58th minute. As Ballo-Toure crossed the ball, Soriano followed through with his studs on the ankle of the full-back and the VAR rightly dismissed him.
Bologna rightly reverted to a defensive mode as they tried to hold to the one point with two-man less. It was attack versus defence as the home side literally parked a bus in front of goal, and they succeeded to an extent before Bennacer’s superb volley broke Bologna’s resolute defence, six minutes from time. Bakayoko’s cross was diverted to the path of Bennacer on the edge of the box. The Algerian’s controlled and precise volley went past Skorupski and into the bottom corner of the goal.
And then, in the 90th minute, Ibrahimovic found some space on the edge of the box and the Swede curled in a precise shot inside the far post to restore the two goal lead and seal the three points. It was the 40-year-old second goal of the season.
In the 20th minute, Soumaoro was sent off for bringing down Rade Krunic who was through on goal. And then, a few moments later, Ibrahimovic missed a chance to double the lead as he failed to generate enough power into his header after being set up by Ballo-Toure. However, in the 35th minute, Milan doubled their advantage courtesy of a stunning strike from full-back Calabria.
Ballo-Toure’s cross fell to the path of Krunic after being parried away by Skorupski but the Bosian’s first-time shot was deflected into the path of onrushing Calabria, who smashed the loose ball into the roof of the net via a deflection.
