Ibrahimovic salvages late point after missing penalty as Milan draw with Verona



Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan missing his penalty during the Italian Serie A match between AC Milan v Hellas Verona on November 8, 2020.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic recovered from another missed penalty to score in stoppage time and salvage a 2-2 draw for Milan against Hellas Verona.

Antonin Barak and Mattia Zaccagni put Ivan Juric's visitors 2-0 up inside 20 minutes before an own goal from Giangiacomo Magnani gave the hosts hope.

Ibrahimovic then failed from 12 yards for the third time this season - his fourth miss in six attempts going back to last term - and Davide Calabria saw an effort ruled out in the first minute of second-half stoppage time after the Swede had handled in the build-up.

Milan's talisman had the final say, however, heading home Brahim Diaz's cross two minutes later to snatch a draw that moves Stefano Pioli's side two points clear of second-placed Sassuolo at the Serie A summit.

Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Nikola Kalinic from close range after five minutes, but the Milan goalkeeper was powerless to prevent Verona taking the lead from the resulting corner. 

Federico Ceccherini's header crashed back off the crossbar and Barak reacted quickest to prod over the line from inside the six-yard box.

The visitors doubled their advantage in the 19th minute as Zaccagni's volley from the edge of the penalty area found the back of the net courtesy of Calabria's sliced attempted clearance. 

But Milan - beaten by Lille in the Europa League in midweek - pulled a goal back eight minutes later when Franck Kessie's flick from an Alexis Saelemaekers cross was deflected past Marco Silvestri by Magnani.

Moments after Silvestri's superb 64th-minute stop from Theo Hernandez, the Rossoneri were handed the opportunity to pull level as Matteo Lovato fouled Kessie inside the area. As against Inter and Sparta Prague earlier this season, though, Ibrahimovic failed to convert from 12 yards. 

The striker then thundered a powerful header against the post before Calabria's late effort was ruled out as his team-mate was deemed to have controlled with his arm. 

Yet Ibrahimovic had the last laugh, climbing highest to nod in his eighth league goal of the campaign just as it appeared it would not be his day, with Diaz crossing after the 39-year-old had seen a shot on the turn well saved.

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