Milan held by Bologna

AC Milan were held to an entertaining draw by a spirited Bologna side and will rue missed chances as they drop two points in an increasingly tight title race.

Marco Di Vaio's early goal put the home side in front, but Clarence Seedord and Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave AC Milan the lead. However, Alessandro Diamanti condemned Milan to a draw and kept the Rossoneri in third place in the table.

The match began brightly for Milan, who had an early chance to go up. A Zlatan Ibrahimovic free kick in the 3rd minute rattled the Bologna crossbar, with the keeper clearly beaten.

However, it was Bologna who drew first blood in the 11th minute. A pinpoint ball over the defence was picked up by Marco Di Vaio, who lobbed the ball into the net over the Milan keeper Amelia.

The goal seemed to spur Milan on and they got their equalizer just five minutes later. Boateng took the ball in the midfield and played it to Seedorf who blasted the ball into the top corner from just outside the box.

Di Vaio was having a good game and his runs were catching Milan defenders off guard. However, Milan were the team pushing forward in search of a goal.

Boateng was particularly effective, distributing possession regularly and trying to take the opportunities that came his way.

The next chance came in the 29th minute, when Boateng fed Abate, whose volley was pushed away by the Bologna keeper Gillet. Boateng had a decent chance himself in the 38th minute, but his shot from 25 yards out was straight at the keeper.

There was controversy on the stroke of half time, when Diamanti's cross clearly hit Seedorf's arm inside the box. However, all of Bologna's shouts for a penalty were turned down by the referee.

Di Vaio almost put Bologna into the lead three minutes into the second half, when his shot from the left came off the outside of the post.

However, it was Milan that took the lead after a penalty in the 71st minute. Ibrahimovic won the ball inside the Bologna box and was brought down by Raggi. The referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty, that Ibrahimovic dispatched with aplomb.

Milan's lead lasted only one minute, with Allesandro Diamanti taking the ball past Thiago Silva and firing in a low shot that Amelia should have saved. Bologna were now level and could sniff three points.

However, Milan had another penalty shout turned down when Ibrahimovic's attempted volley was handled by Morleo.

The game ended with both teams square and Milan lost the opportunity to take the lead at the top of the Serie A table.