MILAN (AP) – Zlatan Ibrahimovic achieved a winning comeback after being out of the coronavirus when AC Milan beat Inter Milan 2–1 in an entertaining derby on Saturday.
Ibrahimovic returned to education until this week after recovering from the virus, but the 39-year-old Swede scored twice earlier and Romelu Lukaku scored for Inter in the 29th minute.
It is Milan’s first win in the league derby since 2016 and allowed the Rossoneri to move to the most sensible rankings. Milan is the only team with a best record, having won all four games this season.
Milan are three questions ahead of Atalanta, who lost 4–1 to Napoli, and five against Juventus, who will do so later against Crotone.
Lazio 3-0 to Sampdoria.
It was an atmosphere in San Siro with only 1000 enthusiasts allowed in the 80,000-seat stadium due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, both groups were greeted through a lot of enthusiasts when the groups’ buses arrived at the stadium. Flags were waved, banners were rolled out and enthusiasts shouted their . . . through their masks.
The virus had excluded Inter Ashley Young, Alessandro Bastoni, Milan Okriniar, Radja Nainggolan, Roberto Gagliardini and Ionut Radu.
Milan had Ibrahimovic’s back and the striker had a quick impact.
Ibrahimovic won a penalty after a sloppy shot through Aleksandar Kolarov and, his kick was stored through Samir Handanovic, inter’s former goalkeeper returned the rebound to put Milan ahead in the 13th minute.
Milan doubled their lead just 3 minutes later with a team play when Hakan Alhano-lu sent Rafael Leo on the left wing and crossed for Ibrahimovic to volley.
Inter halved the deficit when Ivan Periia crossed into Lukaku at home, Milan’s first goal this season.
Inter, who had fought 2-0 to win 4-2 the last time the two groups faced each other, almost tied in a time later when a headbutt of Lautaro Martínez ceded him to Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, but Simon Kjor cleared the line.
The nerazzurri have tied at a time when Achraf Hakimi did not score, but his headbutt flew a few centimetres from the left post.
Inter received a penalty at 75 after Donnarumma knocked lukaku down, but the referee replaced his brain after the video showed Inter’s striker offside.
ILICA BACK
The only positive note for the depressing afternoon Atalanta was the reversing of key striker Josip Ili-i.
The 32-year-old Iličić hadn’t played since July and had been given compassionate leave by Atalanta because of personal issues.
He opposed Naples, but may not save his team from falling into a heavy defeat, only Atalanta’s momentary defeat since January.
Hirving Lozano scored two goals for Napoli and goals from Matteo Politano and Victor Osimhen in the first half, and Sam Lammers scored a consolation for Atalanta at 69.
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