MILAN, July 22: Zlatan Ibrahimovic rolled back the years with two impressive goals to help AC Milan beat Sassuolo 2-1 in Serie A.
The 38-year-old Ibrahimovic netted twice in the first half, either side of Francesco Caputo�s penalty for Sassuolo on Tuesday.
Sassuolo had to play the entire second half with 10 men after midfielder Mehdi Bourabia was sent off on the stroke of halftime following a second yellow card.
It was Milan�s seventh victory in the nine games since Serie A resumed following the pandemic-enforced shutdown and moved the team up to fifth. It drew the other two matches.
It was confirmed after the match that Milan coach Stefano Pioli had signed a two-year extension to his contract, keeping him at the club until June 2022.
Ibrahimovic rejoined Milan in December on a six-month contract with an option for next season.
Milan has lost just two matches since Ibrahimovic�s arrival.
Ibrahimovic gave Milan the lead in the 19th minute with a diving header at the back post following a cross from Hakan Calhanoglu.
There was a dramatic end to the half as Caputo leveled from the spot three minutes from the break. The referee had awarded the penalty after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor and judging that the ball had hit Calhanoglu�s arm.
Calhanoglu redeemed himself moments later with a second assist with a through-ball for Ibrahimovic to run onto, round the goalkeeper and place into the back of the net.
It was the first time since 1999 that Milan has scored at least two goals in nine successive matches.
Bourabia was given his marching orders but Sassuolo goalkeeper Andrea Consigli kept the scoreline down with several good saves, including preventing Ibrahimovic from getting his hat trick. � AP
