Zlatan Ibrahimovic stepped up to slot home a penalty after six minutes and Milan are 1-0 up at half-time against Cagliari.

Follow the action as it happens on the Liveblog HERE.

Milan got the fast start they wanted in Sardinia, as Brahim Diaz found Ibrahimovic with a through ball and the Swede was barged over by Lykogiannis.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic stepped up to slot home a penalty after six minutes and Milan are 1-0 up at half-time against Cagliari.

Follow the action as it happens on the Liveblog HERE.

Milan got the fast start they wanted in Sardinia, as Brahim Diaz found Ibrahimovic with a through ball and the Swede was barged over by Lykogiannis.

Zlatan took the penalty to redeem himself from the spot and gave Milan the perfect start with a penalty goal after six minutes.

Franck Kessie reportedly waited for Zlatan’s decision and the veteran decided he wanted it.

Cagliari gradually grew into the game and responded with some half-chances of their own, but Milan were quite comfortable in the first half without producing too many chances themselves.

Davide Calabria forced Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno into action after 24 minutes, with a sudden screamer from distance. But the Rossoblu shot stopper pushed it wide for a corner.

Cagliari were waiting for Milan at the back, trying to hurt them on the break, but the visitors were comfortable in defence and not afraid to start again when not finding a way through the compact defence.

The home side tried to push further up the pitch in the later stages of the first half but struggled to keep the pressure up and didn’t come to any clear-cut chances against Gigio Donnarumma.

Calabria almost made it two after 35 minutes, but Cragno was bailed out by the post as the right-back hit it with his left foot. Nicely struck but the ball hits inside of the post and out.

Joao Pedro almost responds at the other end, as Marin finds the Brazilian forward with a nice cross, but the striker can’t get enough on the finish.

Milan captain Alessio Romagnoli was booked after 38 minutes, his fifth for the season and therefore out against Atalanta.

The Rossoneri were without Theo Hernandez and Hakan Calhanoglu in Sardinia and notably so, as they were lacking some creativity going forward.

Milan were closest to a second, but Cagliari are still in this.

Cagliari 0-1 Milan (half-time)

Ibrahimovic pen 6 (M)

Cagliari (4-3-2-1):Cragno; Zappa, Godín, Ceppitelli, Lykogiannis; Pereiro, Marin, Duncan; Nainggolan, João Pedro; Simeone.

Milan (4-2-3-1):G. Donnarumma; Calabria, Kjær, Romagnoli, Dalot; Tonali, Kessié; Castillejo, Brahim Díaz, Hauge; Ibrahimović.

Referee: Abisso

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