Milan beat nine-man Bologna to climb top

MILAN, Oct 24: Late goals from Zlatan Ibrahimović and Ismaël Bennacer spared AC Milan major embarrassment as it scraped a 4-2 win in Serie A at Bologna, which played for more than half an hour with nine men on Saturday.
Bennacer scored six minutes from time and Ibrahimović made sure of the win right at the death.
The match had seemed all but over at halftime with Milan 2-0 up and Bologna down to 10 men after defender Adama Soumaoro was sent off in the 20th minute. But Bologna was level seven minutes into the second half following an own-goal from Ibrahimović and a fine strike from Musa Barrow.
However, Bologna received another straight red card as Roberto Soriano was sent off in the 58th.
Milan took the lead in the 15th when Rafael Leão sprinted onto Ibrahimović’s through ball and his angled drive was deflected past Łukasz Skorupski. Matters got worse for Bologna five minutes later as Soumaoro was sent off for tripping Rade Krunić as the Milan midfielder was clear on goal.
Milan doubled its lead in the 35th when Davide Calabria smashed the ball into the back of the net.
Ibrahimović gifted Bologna a way back into the game four minutes after the break as he headed in a corner for an own-goal and the comeback was complete three minutes later when Barrow beat the offside trap to fire in the equalizer. Soriano caught Milan defender Fodé Ballo-Touré, receiving Bologna’s second red card.
Milan restored its lead when Bologna again only cleared to the edge of the area and Bennacer volleyed into the bottom left. Ibrahimović sealed the result with his first goal since turning 40. (AP)