Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during an Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Milan in Cagliari, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. (Spada(/LaPresse via AP)
The Associated Press
Zlatan Ibrahimović is back.
Ibrahimović scored in his first start back at AC Milan to help them beat Cagliari 2-0 in Serie A on Saturday.
The 38-year-old Ibrahimović netted Milan's second goal in the 64th minute. Theo Hernández put in a cross from the left and Ibrahimović hit it first time into the bottom right corner.
'œI feel good, and when you feel good the goals will come,'ť Ibrahimović said. 'œAt the beginning of the game I got a few balls wrong but I need to play to get back in form.
'œI know that (manager Stefano) Pioli wants to be careful because he's thinking about my age, but there's no problem because the mind is always the same and the body has to follow.'ť
It was Ibrahimović's 57th goal in 87 appearances for Milan and his first since May 6, 2012 when he netted two against Inter.
The Swede raised his arms in celebration and turned to the AC Milan fans, pumping his fist and encouraging their chants for him.
'œEvery goal I score, I celebrate like God, that way I feel alive," Ibrahimović said.
Ibrahimović, who helped Milan to its last Serie A title in 2011, has rejoined the Italian club until the end of the season with an option for another year.
He made his first Serie A appearance in nearly eight years last Monday, off the bench in a 0-0 home draw with Sampdoria.
Milan hadn't scored for three straight matches and it was a stroke of luck which ended that run, right at the start of the second half, as Rafael Leão's shot took a massive deflection to loop over Olsen.
The win put Milan four points behind sixth-placed Cagliari.
HISTORIC WIN
Lazio set a new club record of 10 successive Serie A victories as a howler from Napoli goalkeeper gifted the capital side a 1-0 win.
Lazio posed little threat in the second half and there appeared to be little danger when, with eight minutes remaining, a back pass was played to David Ospina. Ciro Immobile rushed in and as the Napoli goalkeeper tried to dribble around the Lazio forward, he slipped, allowing Immobile to take the ball and whip it into the back of the net from a tight angle.
Immobile's 20th league goal helped third-placed Lazio move to within three points of second-placed Juventus. The Bianconeri visit Roma on Sunday knowing they can leapfrog above Inter Milan, which was held to 1-1 by Atalanta.
V AR CONTROVERSY
Inter dropped two points but it could have lost all three as goalkeeper Samir Handanovic saved a late penalty from Luis Muriel.
The penalty was given after Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni appeared to push over Ruslan Malinovskyi.
It was a soft one but Atalanta will probably feel it atoned for not getting a penalty in the first half when Lautaro MartÃnez appeared to grab Rafael Tolói's ankle, tripping up the visiting defender as he was about to tap in the ball.
However, after checking with the video assistant referee, official Tommaso Rocchi waved play on.
MartÃnez scored in the fourth minute following a swift one-two with Romelu Lukaku. They share 24 goals, many of them set up by the other.
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Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during an Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Milan in Cagliari, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. (Spada(/LaPresse via AP)
The Associated Press
Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during an Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Milan in Cagliari, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. (Spada(/LaPresse via AP)
The Associated Press
Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic congratulates Rafael Leao after the Portuguese scored is side's first goal during an Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Milan in Cagliari, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. (Spada(/LaPresse via AP)
The Associated Press
Milan's Rafael Leao celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during an Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Milan in Cagliari, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. Behind him is Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who scored the second goal. (Spada(/LaPresse via AP)
The Associated Press
Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic heads the ball during an Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Milan in Cagliari, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. (Spada(/LaPresse via AP)
The Associated Press
Milan coach Stefano Pioli looks on during an Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Milan in Cagliari, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. (Spada(/LaPresse via AP)
The Associated Press
Inter Milan's goalkeeper Samir Handanovic makes a save in front of Atalanta's Luis Muriel, left, from the penalty spot during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Atalanta at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
The Associated Press
Inter Milan's head coach Antonio Conte reacts during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Atalanta at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
The Associated Press
Atalanta's Robin Gosens celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Atalanta at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
The Associated Press
Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez, right, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Atalanta at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
The Associated Press
Inter Milan's goalkeeper Samir Handanovic waves to supporters at the end of the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Atalanta at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
The Associated Press
Lazio's Ciro Immobile, who scored the winning goal, celebrates at the end of the Italian Serie A match between Lazio and Napoli at the Olympic stadium in Rome, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
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Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures during the Italian Serie A match between Lazio and Napoli at the Olympic stadium in Rome, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
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