JAKARTA - Veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored two goals to seal AC Milan's 2-0 victory over Cagliari in Week 18 of the Italian League which was played at the Sardegna Arena, Sardinia, local Monday or Tuesday morning WIB.
The victory brings Milan now three points ahead of Inter Milan at the top of the Italian League standings with 43 points, while Cagliari is stuck in 17th place with 14 points.
According to Antara, the match was only seven minutes old when Milan were awarded a penalty for Charalambos Lykogiannis' foul on Ibrahimovic. Ibrahimovic himself took the penalty and he did the job successfully.
Cagliari gradually improved their game and responded by creating a few chances, but Milan were comfortable enough in the first half without creating many chances.
Davide Calabria forced Cagliari goalkeeper Alesio Cragno to make a long-range save, but the situation only ended with a corner.
Cagliari were mostly waiting for Milan at the back, trying to surprise the visitors with a counterattack. The hosts tried to increase the intensity of their attacks before halftime, but they were unable to pose a serious threat to Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Milan then doubled their lead with Ibrahimovic's second goal in the 52nd minute. The Swede received a through ball from Calabria, and completed the chance for a goal. The referee had decided he was in an offside position, but the VAR review gave the referee a thought and approved the goal.
Cagliari was unable to respond and looked to find energy from substitute Riccardo Sottil. However, Milan are getting more confident after holding a two-goal advantage.
Giovanni Simeone had a good chance when Joao Pedro sent in a through ball, but Donnarumma saved it.
Milan threatened back through the Scandinavian duo Jens Petter Hauge and Ibrahimovic. The Norwegian sent the ball to Ibrahimovic, who failed to score a hat-trick on Cragno's save.
Alexis Saelemaekers came on for Hauge moments later, but he was shown a yellow card and was rewarded with a second yellow card in the 74th minute. Saelemaekers was only eight minutes on the pitch.
Cagliari defender Diego Godin was shown a yellow card for protesting against the referee, and substitute Cerri fired a header which goalkeeper Donnarumma was able to hold. Until the long whistle sounded, Cagliari failed to score a return goal to make Milan take home three valuable points.
The composition of players:
Cagliari (4-3-2-1): Alessio Cragno, Gabriele Zappa (Leonardo Pavolaetti 80 '), Diego Godin, Luca Ceppitelli, Charalambos Lykogiannis, Radja Nainggolan, Razvan Marin, Alfred Duncan (Christian Oliva 69'), Gaston Pereiro ( Riccardo Sottil 57 '), Joao Pedro, Giovanni Simeone (Alberto Cerri 80')
Coach: Eusebio Di Francesco
AC Milan (4-2-3-1): Gianluigi Donnarumma, Davide Calabria, Simon Kjaer (Pierre Kalulu 46 '), Alessio Romagnoli, Diogo Dalot, Franck Kessie, Sandro Tonali (Soualiho Meite 72'), Samuel Castillejo, Brahim Diaz (Andrea Conti 83 '), Jens Petter Hauge (Alexis Saelemaekers 66'), Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Coach: Stefano Pioli
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