AC Milan continued their perfect start to the 2021/22 season with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Lazio at San Siro. Goals from Rafael Leão and Zlatan Ibrahimović secured the three points that took them top of the Serie A table.
Milan were the dominant force in the first half, with Fikayo Tomori, Davide Calabria and Leão all going close to giving the Rossoneri the lead.
Leão was causing problems for the Lazio defence all half long, and eventually got his rewards just before Half Time to give his side a deserved lead. He carried the ball up the pitch before a slick one-two with Ante Rebić played the Portuguese in on goal, slotting his finish past Pepe Reina.
The first-half drama was not over there as Milan were awarded a penalty in stoppage time. Ciro Immobile found himself defending in his own box, and mistimed a challenge on Franck Kessié, leading to a spot-kick being awarded after a lengthy stoppage for a VAR review.
The Ivorian stepped up, but after a run-up so relaxed he made Paul Pogba look hurried, he struck the bar, and Lazio lived to fight another day. The hosts doubled their lead 20 minutes after the restart through their biggest star; Ibrahimović.
He was on the pitch for a matter of minutes when Rebić found the perfect pass to hand the Swede, who’d made a perfect forward run, the easiest of finishes into an empty net.
It is now a staggering 148 goals in Serie A for Ibrahimović, who will turn 40 by October 2021. An extremely composed performance was the perfect warm up for Milan, who will face Liverpool and Juventus in the coming week.
Maurizio Sarri, whose misery was compounded by being shown a red card after the final whistle, will be concerned at the lack of threat his side offered, and will need to address it before diving into UEFA Europa League action against Galatasaray...
No comments