In-form Ibrahimovic fires Milan past Roma
Reuters - Saturday 24 March 2012, 22:04
Zlatan Ibrahimovic continued another
fairytale season by scoring twice as AC Milan came from behind
to beat AS Roma 2-1 at home and extend their lead at the top of
Serie A on Saturday.
Milan are well on course to retain their title and now have
63 points.
Pablo Osvaldo put Roma ahead on 44 minutes but talismanic
Sweden striker Ibrahimovic levelled from the penalty spot on 53
minutes after Daniele De Rossi's handball.
Ibrahimovic then lobbed the goalkeeper and headed home from
close range seven minutes from time as Milan perfectly warmed up
for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg at home
to Barcelona.
"We have got to stop saying that we're allowed a mistake,
because unconsciously we may start toying with the idea that we
actually can make a mistake, while instead we cannot," Milan
captain Massimo Ambrosini said.
"We must not have this type of approach. This can make us
think we can lose a match, and well, we cannot."
With nine games left this term, Roma remain sixth on 44
points in the final Europa League berth.
Udinese moved level on points with Lazio in third after a
1-1 draw at Palermo in the other Serie A match on Saturday.
Amid heavy rain at the Renzo Barbera and after a very
cautious start by both sides, Fabrizio Miccoli gave the hosts
the lead just after the half hour but Udinese hit back six
minutes from time thanks to Gabriel Torje.
FLAMBOYANT STRIKER
Roma's opener, when Osvaldo finished off De Rossi's effort,
came largely out of the blue with Milan dominating possession.
The visitors could even have been 2-0 up early in the second
half after Francesco Totti squandered two chances.
The game changed moments later when De Rossi's handball
allowed Ibrahimovic to send his penalty into the centre of the
goal.
The former Inter and Juve forward then took his league tally
to 22 with a superb goal befitting his stature as Serie A's most
lethal and flamboyant striker of the last 10 years.
Roma boss Luis Enrique was philosophical in defeat.
"I wasn't satisfied with the first half, because we can do a
lot better in terms of ball possession especially," the former
Barcelona midfielder said.
"Paradoxically, our ball possession greatly improved in the
second half and AC Milan scored when we were having our best
moment in the game. It happens and we were playing against the
strongest team in Serie A right now."
Milan, who welcomed back Kevin-Prince Boateng from a layoff,
lost defender Thiago Silva to injury 11 minutes in but it was
the only negative on another successful day for the Rossoneri.