Ibrahimovic attempts a shot from the half-way line but doesn't catch it how he'd like. The hosts come forward again before being dispossessed.
90' +3
Into the final 90 seconds and Cagliari win a corner. It's now or never but the delivery is poor and Ibrahimovic is at the front post to head clear.
90' +2
Despite the extra man, the hosts still can't find the killer pass to get back into the game. Donnarumma launches the ball forward and sets up Dalot for a shot but it's easily saved by Cragno.
90' +1
There will be four minutes of added time.
89'
Castillejo lines up the free-kick for Milan but can't get it past the first man before Ceppitelli and Kyatengwa collide.
88'
L. Ceppitelli gets yellow.
Ceppitelli is rightly booked for pulling Meite's shirt after being turned.
86'
Ibrahimovic draws a foul and buys Milan some time. From the free-kick, the Swede is played in and uses his strength to fashion a chance. The angle is tight and Cragno saves well to concede a corner.
83'
A. Conti enters the game and replaces Brahim Díaz.
D. Godín gets yellow.
Godin is yellow carded for his protests in the aftermath of the penalty appeal.
Conti is on for Milan, replacing Diaz who looked a threat in patches.
80'
A. Cerri enters the game and replaces G. Simeone.
It's a double change for Cagliari as Cerri comes on for Simeone who endured a frustrating game.
Minute
Description
79'
L. Pavoletti enters the game and replaces G. Zappa.
That is Zappa's final act as he is replaced by Pavoletti.
78'
Zappa surges forward for the home side and looks to find a way through the Milan defence but the Italian loses control of the ball and it'll be a goal-kick.
77'
They have a corner that is partially cleared to Nainggolan at the edge of the box. The Belgian strikes well on the volley but it doesn't find its way through the mass of bodies occupying the Milan box.
76'
Will that sending off give the hosts a late lifeline?
74'
A. Saelemaekers gets a second yellow card and is sent off.
RED CARD! Saelemaekers receives his marching orders after pulling back Ceppitelli as he looked to break. The Milan midfielder lasted less than 10 minutes.
72'
S. Meïté enters the game and replaces S. Tonali.
Meite is on for Milan, replacing Tonali for the final 20 minutes or so.
71'
Castillejo and Ibrahimovic link up well and look to spring a break before the hosts recover their shape and possession.
70'
Kyatengwa does well to block Joao Pedro's cross and divert the ball out for a Cagliari corner.
69'
It's another change for Cagliari as Duncan is replaced by Oliva.
Nainggolan has the ball in an advanced position and has options to his right. However, the Belgian decides to take on an ambitious shot and scuffs it completely.
68'
C. Oliva enters the game and replaces A. Duncan.
A. Saelemaekers gets yellow.
He's been on less than two minutes but Saelemaekers is already in the book after a high challenge on Zappa.
67'
Joao Pedro is penalised for a needless nudge to the back of Ibrahimovic.
Simeone intercepts a loose pass from Calabria but can't get the ball under control to make Milan pay.
66'
A. Saelemaekers enters the game and replaces J. Hauge.
Pioli makes another change as Saelemaekers replaces Hauge.
61'
The space really opens up for Marin when Nainggolan bullies Tonali off the ball. The Romanian bears down on the Milan defence and opts to shoot, but his effort strikes Simeone before it can test Donnarumma.
60'
Cagliari are probing for a way back into the game. Simeone almost gets on the end of a cross before a chance opens up for the Argentinian to strike but his effort is blocked.
58'
Cragno does well to gather from the corner and tries to launch a counter-attack but his throw is misplaced and possession is Milan's once again.
57'
R. Sottil enters the game and replaces G. Pereiro.
Sottil is on for Cagliari, replacing Pereiro.
56'
Diaz breaks forward before the home side poke the ball clear. Kessie gathers and Milan come again but Zappa does well to divert the ball out for a corner as Ibrahimovic was lurking behind.
54'
It's a long way back now for Cagliari who continue to leak goals!
52'
Z. Ibrahimović has scored a goal for AC Milan! Assist by D. Calabria.
GOAAAALLLLL! MILAN LEAD 2-0! It's that man again Ibrahimovic. The Swede is found with a brilliant ball over the top before bringing it down perfectly and slotting past Cragno. The linesman raises his flag much to the striker's disbelief before VAR officials inform the referee the goal should stand. 2-0!
It was a pinpoint throughball from Calabria that gave Ibrahimovic the chance to stretch the Rossoneri's lead.
51'
Pereiro and Zappa link up on the right flank for Cagliari but Dalot does well again to deny the pair a chance to get the ball into the box.
49'
Lykogiannis appears to hold back Castillejo and catch him with a flying elbow. The Milan winger leaves the field briefly before declaring himself fine to proceed.
47'
The home side have an early free-kick and a half chance. Marin's delivery isn't great and the ball ends up with Godin on the left-hand side. The Uruguayan takes on Dalot but the Milan full-back comes out on top.
46'
P. Kalulu enters the game and replaces S. Kjær.
The visitors have made a change at the break with Kyatengwa replacing Kjaer who must have taken a knock.
We're back underway for the second half!
45'
HALF-TIME: CAGLIARI 0-1 MILAN
Marin steals the ball away from Dalot. Pereiro has it on the right but puts in a disappointing cross that is easily defended.
43'
Kessie has the ball in the Cagliari box. From a tight angle he tries to chip it to the back post, but the hosts react quickly and clear the danger.
42'
Ibrahimovic is down briefly and thinks he should have had a free-kick after being clipped by Ceppitelli. The referee is having none of it and the Swede is quickly back on his feet.
41'
Cagliari continue to go in search of an equaliser. Pereiro does well to get the ball into the box and it almost falls for Simeone before Kjaer nips in just in time.
40'
The resultant free-kick is lined up by Pereiro who floats it into the Milan box. However, Kjaer is on hand to head it clear for Pioli's side.
39'
A. Romagnoli gets yellow.
Romagnoli earns the first booking of the game after wrestling Simeone to the ground right in front of the referee.
35'
It's another corner for the hosts as Kjaer panics under pressure from Pereiro.
29'
Pereiro finds Zappa on the right flank before the full-back plays in Marin in a more advanced position. The Cagliari midfiedler tries to cut the ball back for a team-mate but it's Kjaer who gathers possession for Milan.
28'
Diaz dispossesses Marin and attempts to break but Nainggolan does well to steal the ball away with a well-timed challenge.
26'
Ibrahimovic contests at the corner but Duncan does just enough to clear the ball to safety.
24'
Cagliari have the ball in the Milan half but there's no cutting edge to their play. They're being restricted to long-range crosses that aren't posing their opponents a significant threat.
22'
Apart from the goal, both teams have largely cancelled each other out in the opening quarter of the match. Hopefully the action will pick up as we approach half-time.
21'
Duncan thwarts a Milan attack before turning his attention to a counter-attack but the visitors scramble back and recover.
19'
Tonali wins the ball back for Milan but the hosts get back in numbers quickly. Castillejo attempts a cross from the right but can't get it through the host of bodies.
17'
Ibrahimovic finds Dalot on the right with a typically audacious pass. The Portuguese defender floats in a nice cross but it's well defended by Godin.
16'
Marin and Simeone get their wires crossed as the former tries to play a telling throughball. The chance is gone but it's been all Cagliari in the last five minutes.
14'
The home side have responded well since going behind. This time it's Lykogiannis who has a chance to cross from the left but his delivery is just out of reach for Simeone.
12'
Cagliari attack again with Marin up the right flank. The Romanian plays in Zappa whose cross is well blocked.
7'
Penalty goal scored by Z. Ibrahimović for AC Milan!
GOAAALLLLLL! IBRAHIMOVIC CONVERTS! The veteran striker steps up and makes no mistake, sending Cragno the wrong way to give Milan the perfect start! 1-0!
4'
Marin picks out Simeone in the box but the Cagliari striker can't direct his header anywhere near Donnarumma's goal.
3'
It's been a quiet start to proceedings. Milan are being allowed plenty of time on the ball with the hosts happy to keep their shape in the opening exchanges.
1'
The referee blows his whistle and Cagliari get this Serie A clash underway!
Diaz is all over Godin early and wins a free-kick off the veteran defender.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Serie A meeting between Cagliari and Milan from the Sardegna Arena!
The hosts enter this contest looking to put an end to an awful run of form. Winless in their last 10 games in all competitions, the Sardinian side sit 17th in the league table, just a point above the relegation zone. Last time out they exited the Coppa Italia after succumbing 3-1 to an underpowered Atalanta and have lost their last four Serie A fixtures. Eusebio Di Francesco’s team play a nice brand of football but need to tighten up at the back if they are to turn their fortunes around.
They welcome top of the table Milan who have bounced back well from losing to Juventus. Stefano Pioli’s side will be looking to make it three wins in a row after back-to-back successes at home to Torino in their last two matches. The Rossoneri prevailed in a penalty shoot-out in their Coppa Italia tie which marked Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s first start since returning from injury.
CAGLIARI (4-3-2-1): Guglielmo Vicario; Gabriele Zappa, Diego Godin, Luca Ceppitelli, Charalampos Lykogiannis; Gaston Pereiro, Razvan Marin, Joseph Alfred Duncan; Radja Nainggolan, Joao Pedro; Giovanni Simeone.
CAGLIARI SUBS: Alessandro Tripaldelli, Matteo Tramoni, Riccardo Sottil, Alberto Cerri, Leonardo Pavoletti, Sebastian Walukiewicz, Simone Aresti, I. Del Pupo, Guglielmo Vicario, Fabrizio Caligara, Christian Oliva, Salvatore Boccia.
MILAN SUBS: Daniel Maldini, Andrea Conti, Soualiho Meite, Alexis Saelemaekers, Nikos Michelis, Pierre Kalulu Kyatengwa, Enrico Di Gesu, Ciprian Tatarusanu, Mateo Musacchio, Antonio Donnarumma, Lorenzo Colombo, Emil Roback.
The teams are emerging from the tunnel and kick-off is moments away!
To be honest, this game is still well and truly in the balance. Neither side looked particularly threatening going forward, so if Cagliari can find an equaliser, things could get nervy for the visitors who will be desparate to maintain their three-point gap at the top of the table.
The result means Milan remain top of Serie A, three points clear of Inter, while that's five league defeats in a row for Cagliari who remain 17th and perilously close to the relegation zone. Cagliari next play Sassuolo in the league and Milan host Atalanta.
Anyway, that's all from me. I hope you enjoyed following our live text coverage. Until next time, goodbye!
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