Serie A - Milan beat Cagliari to keep pressure on
AC Milan moved back to within a point of Serie A leaders Juventus after a 3-0 win over Cagliari at the San Siro on Sunday evening.
An exquisite first-half free-kick from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and an Antonio Nocerino strike six minutes before the break put the Rossoneri on their way to a comfortable victory.
Substitute Massimo Ambrosini added a third with a fine low finish on his 450th appearance for the club.
Maxi Lopez started on the bench for Milan after completing a loan move from Catania. Urby Emanuelson and Djamel Mesbah were both in the Rossoneri side, but the likes of Thiago Silva, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Alexandre Pato were among 10 first-team players out injured for Milan. Cagliari handed Mauricio Pinilla a debut after signing the Chilean striker from Palermo but had to do without the injured Nene, Sebastian Eriksson and Lorenzo Ariaudo.
It was a dour first-half lit up only by a couple of magical moments from Ibrahimovic.
The Swede found Djamel Mesbah in the area after 26 minutes but the Algerian defender fired just over the bar.
Ibrahimovic gave Milan the lead when he curled a sumptuous free-kick into the top left corner after being fouled by Albin Ekdal. It was a stunning strike from the former Inter Milan striker and completely out of keeping with a sterile first-half.
Milan dominated possession against a cautious Cagliari side and they added to their tally seven minutes later.
Philippe Mexes aimed a long ball into the area and Ibrahimovic provided a beautiful chest down for Nocerino who was on hand to power the ball left-footed into the bottom corner.
Nocerino almost added to his first-half strike when his right-footed effort from the edge of the area was palmed away by Michael Agazzi after 54 minutes.
Substitute Stephan El Shaarawy almost converted a Clarence Seedorf free-kick at the near post before Ambrosini added a third.
The veteran midfielder had replaced Seedorf midway through the second half and he marked his milestone appearance by bending the ball with the outside of his foot into the bottom left corner after collecting a pass from Emmanuelson on the edge of the area.
A long-range effort from Mark van Bommel was just kept saved by Agazzi with Cagliari posing almost no threat to an underworked Milan back-four.
This was a comfortable night for Massimiliano Allegri's team who rarely got out of second gear at the San Siro.
Comment 1 - 7 of 7
time and again the proof is for all to see Milan and Juve are the 2 class sides of Italian football and Inter are the pikeys! Forza Milan!
As a post-scriptum, I have to congratulate Ibrahimovic on his current season. Never been a fan of his but he seems to have developed a different attitude at Milan. He looks much more reliable and committed than at his previous clubs Juventus, Inter and Barcelona. Never seen him look so involved since his Ajax days.
Yes Milan keep putting pressure on Juventus with their wins but this pressure is actually enjoyable for most Juve fans. First because it means that we are actually title contenders for the first time in ages, and second because we enjoy a tussle with Milan much more than with Inter. We know that the Rossoneri have class and that they won't resort to underhand methods to try and win the title. Two thrilling sides battling for the title - doesn't get much better than this. The collective strength and possession based game of Conte's Juventus against the individual brilliance of Ibrahimovic, Boateng and co and the counterattacking skills of Allegri's Milan - whoah! Really relishing this Scudetto tussle, and may the best side win!
There is only one classy team in Milan and it is NOT Inter, from a Juve fan.
Great balance of the young, new and 'classic' Milan players today. This is a team that can do some damage in the Champions league. After knocking Allegri for the past couple months, I thought the squad played great and the changes were well timed.
Ibracadabra, arsenal and juve were coming for you!!!!!
This Is What We Do!!! Rossoneri Style!!!
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