AC Milan stayed top of UEFA Champions League Group H after they claimed a comfortable 2-0 win over BATE Borisov at the San Siro.
Ibrahimovic and Boateng strike for AC
AC Milan stayed top of UEFA Champions League Group H after they claimed a comfortable 2-0 win over BATE Borisov at the San Siro.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic fired the Italian giants ahead on the half-hour with a powerful drive from the edge of the box.
The winner came on 70 minutes and was sublime skill from Ghana international Kevin Prince-Boateng as he controlled and fired home to seal the success.
With Barcelona beating Viktoria Plzen 2-0, they both now lead the way on seven points, meaning qualification to the knockout stage is close to being assured already, with BATE and Plzen well adrift on one point each.
Milan were rarely in trouble here, apart from a game-changing save from Christian Abbiati midway through the first half and, once Ibrahimovic got them going with his third of the season, they did not look back.
The impressive Alberto Aquilani was the first to go close for the Rossoneri, hitting the foot of Aleksandr Gutor's post after Antonio Cassano's lay-off.
Pressure
The pressure continued as Ibrahimovic pulled an Antonio Nocerino cross out of the sky and volleyed over, before Mark van Bommel appealed for a penalty when he appeared to be brought down by Artem Radkov.
Aquilani then worked Gutor after a Taye Taiwo cross, before BATE wasted what would prove to be their best chance.
Abbiati played a goal-kick short to Van Bommel who, without looking, attempted to find Alessandro Nesta but instead set Renan Bressan free, only for Abbiati to make himself big and turn the ball behind.
Having got out of jail, Milan then took the lead after 33 minutes, Ibrahimovic slotting a finish into the bottom corner after the ball came loose when Cassano failed to get a clean contact on an Ignazio Abate cross.
BATE offered little by way of a response before the break, but had a half chance to equalise after the restart when Mateja Kezman broke through, but he was well blocked off by Nesta. The wasteful Bressan lashed the loose ball over.
Abbiati then turned an Alexander Volodko grass-cutter around the post and Milan kicked on, with Ibrahimovic jinking his way to the edge of the box before drilling over.
The clinching goal came 20 minutes from time, Boateng taking a touch from 25 yards out and then hammering in via the underside of the bar.
| Milan |
Team Statistics |
BATE Borisov |
| 2 |
Goals |
0 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 5 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 18 |
Shots off Target |
8 |
| 5 |
Blocked Shots |
2 |
| 6 |
Corners |
4 |
| 21 |
Fouls |
19 |
| 2 |
Offsides |
0 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 82.5 |
Passing Success |
73.1 |
| 8 |
Tackles |
13 |
| 100 |
Tackles Success |
76.9 |
| 60.5 |
Possession |
39.5 |
| 56.7 |
Territorial Advantage |
43.3 |
| 527 |
Total Passes |
334 |
| 26 |
Total Crosses |
11 |
| 145 |
Lost Balls |
144 |
| 64 |
Recoveries |
39 |
|
