Ibrahimovic scores twice, limps off as AC Milan keep prime in Serie A

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice to convey his tally to 10 league targets this season earlier than limping off with a muscle pressure as AC Milan stayed prime in Serie A on Sunday with a 3-1 win at 10-man Napoli.

Milan transfer again two factors forward of Sassuolo — 2-0 winners earlier at Hellas Verona — with Roma third after Henrikh Mkhitaryan netted a brace in a dominant 3-0 win over Parma.

“For me Zlatan is stronger now than 10-12 years in the past,” stated Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso of his former Milan teammate.

“Milan strongly believes in Ibra, his teammates belief him one hundred pc.

“In my view, their staff is just not the strongest however they’ve the mentality.

“We play properly however lose as quickly because it will get tough.”

Ibrahimovic continued his high-quality type, heading in a Theo Hernandez cross after 20 minutes, sending within the second along with his knee 9 minutes after the break.

However the 39-year-old pulled up clutching his left hamstring and was substituted after 79 minutes.

The Swede has scored in all six video games he has performed this season, having missed two after contracting coronavirus.

Coach Stefano Pioli missed the journey south with Covid-19, however his aspect obtained their first league win in Naples since October 2010, the season they final gained the Scudetto, with Ibrahimovic additionally on the scoresheet that point.

Napoli performed the ultimate half an hour a person down after Tiemoue Bakayoko was despatched off for 2 yellow playing cards, simply after Dries Mertens had pulled a objective again for the hosts.

Norwegian Jens Petter Hauge accomplished the scoring 5 minutes into damage time, the 21-year-old getting his first Serie A objective.

Champions Juventus are fourth — 4 factors off prime spot — after profitable 2-0 at Cagliari on Saturday.

Final season’s runners-up Inter Milan are simply behind in fifth, after a Romelu Lukaku double impressed a 4-2 comeback win over Torino, with Napoli dropping from third to sixth — six factors off prime spot.

– Inter ‘lack ferocity’ –

In Milan, Torino obtained off to a powerful begin regardless of enjoying with out prime striker Andrea Belotti who pulled up through the warm-up.

Simone Zaza took the skipper’s place and scored the opener simply earlier than the break with Cristian Ansaldi including a second from the penalty spot after an hour.

Inter reacted within the sixty fourth minute, with Alexis Sanchez bundling the ball in after Lukaku’s preliminary effort was tipped onto the crossbar, earlier than the Chilean arrange his fellow former Manchester United ahead for the equaliser three minutes later.

Lukaku pulled Inter forward from the penalty spot six minutes from time after which offered the cross for substitute Lautaro Martinez to attain the fourth on 90 minutes.

“I did not like what I noticed,” stated Inter coach Antonio Conte three days earlier than his aspect host Actual Madrid within the Champions League.

“We lack the ferocity of final season.

“However we confirmed character as being 2-0 down may have destroyed us.”

Torino drop into the relegation zone after their fifth defeat.

In Verona, Sassuolo continued their spectacular run because of targets in both half from Jeremie Boga and Domenico Berardi.

The aspect from Emilia Romagna are unbeaten this season and are the joint prime scorers with 20 targets.

Roma in the meantime stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to 10 matches, cementing victory with three first-half targets.

Borja Mayoral obtained his first Serie A objective simply earlier than the half-hour mark, with Mkhitaryan including two extra earlier than the break to convey his tally to 5 in two video games after scoring a hat-trick final day out in opposition to Genoa.

In Tuscany, Cesare Prandelli had a nightmare begin as coach of struggling Fiorentina with a 1-0 dwelling defeat by Benevento.

Former Italy coach Prandelli returned to the ‘Viola’ a decade after leaving for the Azzurri job in 2010, however the staff fell to their fourth defeat.

So as to add to Prandelli’s woes, French midfielder Franck Ribery went off injured.

“The fragility worries me most,” stated Prandelli.

“Maybe the staff succumbed to their fears and destructive ideas when Franck got here off.”

Riccardo Improta scored his first Serie A objective for Benevento on 52 minutes, slotting in a Gabriele Moncini cross after a Cristiano Biraghi defensive error.

Fiorentina slip to fifteenth within the Serie A desk, simply behind Benevento.

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