ZLATAN SCORES AS MILAN GET THE THREE POINTS
Serie A
A vital victory after a valiant Rossoneri performance. AC Milan restart their run in the league, coming away with a deserved 2-0 victory away to Maran’s side thanks to goals from the two most greatly anticipated players of the day: Rafael Leão and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Three points which reflected a superb Rossoneri effort, as they managed to contain the hosts’ intensity in the first half and made sure to take the chances that came their way in the second. The attack did well, creating chances and helping the side through difficult periods of the game. The defence was also solid in keeping the Cagliari forwards quiet, very much thanks to Kessie and Bennacer’s constant hard work off the ball. A 4-4-2 formation that worked well, showing a good base from which to start again in the second half of the season with everything still to play for.
CHECK OUT THE BEST PICTURES FROM CAGLIARI 0-2 AC MILAN
MATCH REPORT
Coach Pioli made some big changes to his Milan side for their trip to the Sardegna Arena, starting with a strike force duo in a 4-4-2 formation with Ibrahimović alongside Leão up top. It was the hosts who started better, but the first real chance fell to a Rossoneri foot as Hernández smashed one at Olsen with his left, the Cagliari goalkeeper tipping it round the post for a corner. The Swedish goalkeeper was at the heart of things soon after, just about managing to push Zlatan Ibrahimović’s precise header onto the post. Leão couldn’t quite find the opener from the resulting corner, just directing Romagnoli’s flick-on wide of the far post. Cagliari looked to threaten in minute 38, Nandez’s long-range lob almost catching out Donnarumma. But it was at the start of the second half that Milan found a way through: Castillejo knocked one long to Leão, our number 17 controlling in the box and shooting with his right, and all Rossoneri faces were delighted to see his shot deflect off Pisacane and loop over Olsen into the net. Milan then found a second just 15 minutes later. This time it was Hernández who pulled one back for the onrushing Ibra, our latest signing placing it first time into the corner to make it 2-0. A vital goal that put the Rossoneri comfortably in front. Cagliari tried to push forward and pull one back, but nothing else changed and Milan took home all three points.
MATCH SUMMARY
CAGLIARI 0-2 AC MILAN
CAGLIARI (4-3-1-2): Olsen; Faragò, Klavan, Pisacane, Pellegrini; Nandez (76' Ionita), Cigarini, Rog (76' Castro); Nainggolan; Joao Pedro, Simeone (69' Cerri). Subs.: Rafael, Walukiewicz, Birsa, Lykogiannis, Oliva, Ladinetti. Coach: Maran.
AC MILAN (4-4-2): G. Donnarumma; Calabria (73' Conti), Musacchio, Romagnoli, Hernández; Castillejo, Kessie, Bennacer, Çalhanoğlu (64' Bonaventura); Leão (90' Rebić), Ibrahimović. Subs.: A. Donnarumma, Reina, Gabbia, Brescianini, Krunić, Paquetá, Piątek, Suso. Coach: Pioli.
Referee: Rosario Abisso from Palermo.
Goals: 47' Leão (M), 64' Ibrahimović (M).
Booked: 26' Cigarini (C), 39' Nandez (C), 60' Pellegrini (C), 61' Bennacer (M).
The official PUMA match kits for the 2019/20 season are available in the AC Milan Online Store!
