Serie A: AC Milan thrash Bologna 5-1, Atalanta held by Hellas Verona

Rome, July 19 (IANS): AC Milan continued their fearsome form as they enjoyed a comfortable 5-1 home victory on Saturday while Atalanta were held by Hellas Verona to a 1-1 draw.

Milan are on an unbeaten run after the resumption of the Serie A, and fresh from a 3-1 midweek victory over Parma.

The home side went 2-0 up after 24 minutes with Alexis Saelemaekers’ opener and Hakan Calhanoglu’s volley from point-blank range, Xinhua news agency reports.

Bologna pulled one goal back before the break as Takehiro Tomiyasu cut inside from the right and unleashed a curler that flew into the net with both power and precision.

The Rossoneri restored the two-goal margin just four minutes into the second half as Ismael Bennacer burst into the box and placed a low-strike into the corner.

Milan quickly rode the momentum in the 56th minute when Ante Rebic turned in the box, and sent the ball into the far corner.

Davide Calabria sealed the match in stoppage time as the right-back finished with a daisy-cutter on Rafael Leao’s assist.

Milan temporarily leaped over Napoli into sixth place with 56 points.

Atalanta, who have scored the most goals in the current Serie A season, surprisingly played out a 1-1 draw at Verona.

The Dea broke the deadlock in the 50th minute when Verona defender Koray Gunter’s howler allowed Duvan Zapata to intercept the ball, the Colombian surged into the box and won the one-on-one against goalkeeper Marco Silvestri.

The home side got back on level terms nine minutes later when Atalanta’s goalie Pierluigi Gollini just meekly parried away Amir Rrahmani’s attempt and Matteo Pessina followed up to tap in from close range.

Atalanta should have scored the winner in the dying minutes but Mario Pasalic saw his attempt crash off the post.

In the other match on Saturday, Cagliari shared the spoils with Sassuolo in a 1-1 draw.