ROME: AC Milan temporarily cut its gap with Inter Milan to eight points on Serie A table, as it beat relegation-threatened Parma 3-1 on Saturday, but talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic was red-carded amid controversy.
The Rossoneri entered Saturday's game without captain Alessio Romagnoli, Simon Kjaer partnered Fikayo Tomori at center back, and Ibrahimovic spearheaded Milan's attack.
Milan took a strong start just seven minutes into the game with a great move when Ismael Bennacer spread the play down the left, Ibrahimovic controlled the ball and his dummy allowed him to send through Ante Rebic who span around to find the net.
The away side doubled the lead before the interval with another teamwork, Rebic was involved again as the Croatian completed a give-and-go with Ibrahimovic before assisting Franck Kessie to drill home.
However, Milan was reduced to 10 men somehow on the hour mark, Ibrahimovic was shown a straight red card for dissent. Milan is expected to lodge an appeal. Parma quickly captured the advantage as former Chinese Super League player Graziano Pelle nodded a lobbed pass for Riccardo Gagliolo to pull one goal back. But the Diavolo shattered Parma's hope as Diogo Dalot's solo run drew the defenders, and the Manchester United's loanee threaded substitute Rafael Leao through, who kept his cool to finish with a right-footed strike.
In a later fixture, another relegation battler Torino snatched a precious three-point after beating Udinese 1-0 on Andrea Belotti's penalty. Agencies
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