Zlatan Ibrahimovic matches Cristiano Ronaldo record in AC Milan victory – European round-up | Football News

Zlatan Ibrahimovic matched a Cristiano Ronaldo record as depleted AC Milan won 3-0 at 10-man Venezia to move to the top of Serie A on Sunday.

Ibrahimovic opened the scoring with barely two minutes on the clock. It was the 80th team the veteran forward has scored against in the top five European leagues. Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo – who did so against Burnley on December 30 – are the only players to reach that milestone since 2000.

Venezia put up a spirited defence but the match changed early in the second half as the home side swiftly went from 1-0 to 3-0 down and with a player sent off after defender Michael Svoboda was shown a straight red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

The Rossoneri moved two points above Inter Milan, who host Lazio later in a game that pits Inter coach Simone Inzaghi against the team he formerly managed and played for. Lazio were the only team the defending champions lost to in the first half of the season.

Milan had won their opening match of the year 3-1 against Roma but were still without more than 10 players due to coronavirus, injuries and Africa Cup of Nations duty.

Ligue 1: No red-card worries for 10-man Nice

Second-place Nice overcame an early sending off to add two more goals in a 3-0 win at Brest in Ligue 1.

After Denmark striker Kasper Dolberg opened the scoring in the 13th minute, Nice midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin was shown a red card in the 20th.

Nice withstood pressure before substitute striker Andy Delort netted in the 79th minute from forward Amine Gouiri’s fifth assist of a productive season. Gouiri grabbed his ninth goal with an effort deep in stoppage-time.

Nice moved back above above third-place Marseille on goal difference, although Marseille have played one game less.

Bundesliga: Cologne move sixth with Hertha victory

Jan Thielmann scored in injury-time to seal Cologne’s jump up to sixth place in the Bundesliga with a 3-1 win at Hertha Berlin.

Anthony Modeste and former Hertha player Ondrej Duda also scored as Cologne won a third straight league game and went ahead of Union Berlin on goal difference.

Hertha had to contend with coronavirus infections during the week. Santiago Ascacibar and Lucas Tousart recovered in time to play – the latter as a substitute – but coach Tayfun Korkut was without defender Dedryck Boyata and forward Ishak Belfodil.

Duda and Mark Uth missed good chances for Cologne before goalkeeper Marvin Schwabe foiled Myziane Maolida with Hertha’s best chance in the 28th minute.

Uth crossed for Modeste to head the opening goal a minute later, and Duda returned a half-cleared ball to make it 2-0 in the 32nd another three afterwards.

Hertha looked a shadow of the team who had beaten Borussia Dortmund before the winter break, but the home team improved. Darida pulled a goal back just before the hour when his free-kick managed to evade team-mates and opponents alike before nestling inside the far post.