AC Milan has booked a tight victory in Serie A on Saturday evening. Stefano Pioli’s team took a deserved 0-2 lead against Parma in the first half. There seemed to be no problem for Milan, until Zlatan Ibrahimovic picked up red after an hour out of nowhere. Parma came back to 1-2, but was unable to get a result from the game. Rafael Leão countered to 1-3 in injury time. With the victory, number two Milan reduces the deficit to leader Internazionale to eight points, but i Rossoneri have played a duel more than their fellow townsman.
Milan started the game well. Franck Kessié saw in the sixth minute a hard shot being tapped by Luigi Sepe, who two minutes later had no answer to an effort from Ante Rebic. The Croat was served by a nice action by Ibrahimovic, who first took a difficult half-high ball and cut out an opponent. Rebic was played fifteen meters from the goal and hit the ball hard into the intersection: 0-1.
In the phase that followed, Milan apparently had total control of the match, without becoming extremely dangerous. Ibrahimovic saw a shot blocked by Mattia Bani, but Kessié had more luck just before half-time. The midfielder of Milan was at the end of a nice attack, which ended with the Ivorian through a one-two between Theo Hernández and Ibrahimovic. Kessié then shot the ball from about eleven meters away from the turn: 0-2.
Zlatan has to get off with red! ?? The Swede would have shouted something against the referee … ???#ZiggoSport #SerieA #ParmaMilan pic.twitter.com/SBPnDbz6t1
– Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) April 10, 2021
In the second half, Parma got into the game a bit better. A close bet from Graziano Pellè was turned away by the quickly released Gianluigi Donnarumma, while an artistic bicycle kick from Juraj Kucka just flew over in the rebound. Almost out of the blue, Ibrahimovic was sent off with a red card after an hour of play, probably because of comments on the lead. The belief in a result thus increased at Parma, especially when the connection goal fell six minutes later. Riccardo Gagliolo shot from close range after putting back Graziano Pellè: 1-2.
Parma was looking for the equalizer with all his might, including with a header from Bani, but Milan stayed on his feet fairly easily. Milan finished it in the absolute final phase. Diogo Dalott served Rafael Leão, who scored face to face with Sepe: 1-3.