AC Milan 3-0 Palermo: Robinho and Cassano on target as champions pick up much-needed victory

AC Milan got its Serie A campaign back on track thanks to a 3-0 victory over a disappointing Palermo side at San Siro.

Antonio Nocerino scored his first goal for the defending champion against the side he departed on deadline day, before second half strikes from Robinho and Antonio Cassano rounded off a much-needed win for Massimiliano Allegri’s men.

The hosts started the match in impressive fashion. Antonio Cassano had two early sights of the goal, but a combination of poor finishing and good goalkeeping from Alexandros Tzorvas prevented the Italy international from putting his side into the lead.

As the match went on, Palermo managed to subdue Milan’s attacking play, but the hosts seemed determined to get their season back on track. Robinho produced a marvelous double save from Tzorvas by following up his own volley, before Milan finally broke the deadlock.

Ibrahimovic, whose passing was superb all night, sprayed a ball out to Alberto Aquilani at the far post, who headed the ball across the face of goal for Nocerino to tap in, and the ex-Palermo man refused to celebrate against his former side.

Palermo began the second half in just as uninspiring fashion as the first, and it was soon punished for it. Ibrahimovic slotted a perfectly-weighted through ball between Matias Silvestre and Giulio Miglaccio into Robinho’s path, and the Brazilian kept his cool to double his side’s lead.

Cassano finally got the goal his good play deserved 10 minutes later, arriving late in the box to slot Ignazio Abate’s cut-back home, and from that point onwards, Milan was in cruise control.

Aquilani spurned a simple opportunity after catching Giulio Migliaccio is possession, electing to shoot straight at Tzorvas, before Stephan El Shaarawy forced a fine stop from the Greek international.

Ibrahimovic almost netted a well-earned goal with two powerful free-kicks from distance which Tzorvas did well to parry, but in the end Milan was made to settle for a 3-0 win.

The host's second victory of the season sees it move into 10th place in Serie A, two points behind Palermo, which sits in fifth, and is still yet to score a goal outside Stadio Renzo Barbara this season.