Ibrahimovic scores twice

MILAN, Oct 27, (AP): AC Milan’s perfect start to the Serie A season ended with a 3-3 draw against Roma but the Rossoneri still moved two points clear of Napoli and Sassuolo. Roma defender Marash Kumbulla equalized six minutes from time following an unintended assist from Zlatan Ibrahimović, who was trying to clear a corner and instead redirected the ball toward the far post where Kumbulla rushed forward to pound it in. Roma are ninth, five points behind Milan.

Edin Džeko and Jordan Veretout, with a penalty, also scored for Roma. Ibrahimović scored twice for Milan, who also got a goal from Alexis Saelemaekers with Rafael Leão setting up two of the Rossoneri’s scores. Ibrahimović needed only one touch to find the net following Leão’s pass over the top less than two minutes in at the San Siro. Milan was without goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and winger Jens Petter Hauge after both players tested positive for the coronavirus and Donnarumma was missed when Džeko made it 1-1.

Reserve keeper Ciprian Tatarusanu failed to bat away a corner, allowing the ball to reach Džeko, who leaped over Alessio Romagnoli for a header by the far post. Saelemaekers scored Milan’s second after the break following strong work down the left fl ank and an expert cross from Leão. Veretout equalized for Roma with a penalty in the 71st following a debatable foul from Ismaël Bennacer. Ibrahimović then thought he had sealed victory with a penalty in the 79th following an equally dubious foul by Gianluca Mancini. But the Swedish superstar was to blame for the final goal from Kumbulla, who also scored the winner in Roma’s 2-1 comeback win at Young Boys in the Europa League last week. It was the first match since a new decree came into effect banning fans at stadiums due to a second wave of coronavirus infections.