Agency :
Turning 40 hasn’t stopped Zlatan Ibrahimovic from being Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The ageless Sweden great, whose 40th birthday was on Oct 3, scored one goal and also earned a penalty that led to AC Milan’s second goal in a 2-1 win at Jose Mourinho’s Roma in the Italian league on Sunday.
Ibrahimovic described his 150th Serie A goal from a freekick as an “old age” shot as Milan remains second on goal difference in the table behind Napoli.
The Sweden striker, who turned 40 earlier this month, also thought he had scored his 400th goal in domestic leagues but was denied a second of the game when VAR ruled him offside in the second half.
Stefano Pioli’s Milan side finished the match a man down after leftback Theo Hernandez was shown a red card for a shoulder charge.
“Every now and then, I pull a surprise! You must always give it a go, as failure is part of success, so you keep trying,” Ibrahimovic told DAZN about his freekick clocked at 101 km/h.
“It usually goes quicker! At least 200 kilometers per hour! I think I must be slowing my shot in old age.”
Milan was under pressure after Napoli opened up a three-point lead at the top of the table by claiming the spoils in a 1-0 derby victory over Salernitana.
At Stadio Olimpico, Ibrahimovic broke the deadlock just before the half-hour mark.
He drove home a low freekick after Rick Karsdorp’s foul on Rafael Leao.
Ibrahimovic believed he had claimed a second, and a fourth for the campaign, but VAR adjudged him to be offside, after 50 minutes.
Milan eventually claimed a second as Cote d’Ivoire midfielder Franck Kessie converted from the penalty spot just before the hour mark.
