Jose Mourinho wins 1,000th game, Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores seven minutes into comeback

Roma's late winner sparks wild celebration from manager in landmark game, while Swedish veteran makes instant impact as substitute

Soccer Football - Serie A - AC Milan v Lazio - San Siro, Milan, Italy - September 12, 2021 AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS / Daniele Mascolo TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores seven minutes after coming on as a substitute. AFP

Rafael Leao celebrates after scoring the opening goal for Milan. Getty

Referee Daniele Chiffi shows a red card to Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri at the end of the match. Getty

Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic is involved in a fracas after match that saw Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri shown a red card. Reuters

Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri remonstrates with Zlatan Ibrahimovic. AP

AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates after scoring. EPA

Roma manager Jose Mourinho celebrates with Matias Vina, right, after Stephan El Shaarawy's late winner against Sassuolo. AFP

Roma manager Jose Mourinho. AP

Roma players and coaching staff celebrate the late winner. Getty

An image of Roma manager Jose Mourinho is displayed on the big screen before the match at the Stadio Olimpico. Reuters

Roma manager Jose Mourinho during the match against Sassuolo. EPA

Roma's Stephan El Shaarawy scores the goal that earned his side a 2-1 win. AP

Roger Ibanez with Jose Mourinho after the late winner. Getty

Stephan El Shaarawy celebrates in front of Roma fans. Getty

Jose Mourinho produced a trademark celebration sprint down the touchline to mark Roma's winning goal in the Portuguese's 1,000th match as a manager.

Stephan El Shaarawy's injury-time winner in a 2-1 victory over Sassuolo saw Mourinho run the full length of the pitch, sparking memories of his wild celebrations when his Porto side defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford early on in his glittering coaching career.

Bryan Cristante had put Roma ahead following a free kick before the break and Filip Duricic equalised before the hour mark after being teed-up by Domenico Berardi.

El Shaarawy's goal came with a curling effort that bounced in off the far post. Roma's entire squad – including Mourinho – reacted by running down to share the moment before the Curva Sud where the team's “ultra” fans sit.

Roma have won all five matches of Mourinho's reign so far – including two Uefa Conference League play-off games – and top the Serie A table on goal difference ahead of AC Milan and Napoli.

“During the week, I lied to myself, telling everyone this was not a special game. I was trying to convince myself it was not special. It was a special match,” Mourinho said. “It was a match with a special number for me, which I will remember until the last day of my life.

“It could have ended 6 to 6, 7 to 7, [Roma goalkeeper] Rui Patricio came up with two miracles, we missed a few goals. Extraordinary game, a tremendous emotion.

“I didn’t feel 58 today. I felt 10, 12 or 14 years old - the age when you start to dream of a career in football. It was the run of a child.”

Roma's win on Sunday saw Mourinho take his career tally to 638 victories, having drawn 205 and lost 157 of his 1000 games as a manager.

Ibrahimovic back with a bang

Zlatan Ibrahimovic took just seven minutes to mark his return after four months out with injury as he scored for AC Milan in their 2-0 victory over Lazio.

The Swedish attacker, who turns 40 next month, missed out on this summer's European Championships due to a knee problem that required surgery but was quickly back in the groove at the San Siro.

Milan went in front just before half-time thanks to a strike from Portugal forward Rafael Leao, only for Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie to miss a penalty for the Rossoneri minutes later when he cracked his attempt off the crossbar.

Ibrahimovic came off the bench on the hour mark and finished a cross from Ante Rebic from close range to make it 2-0. The goal meant that, at 39 years and 344 days old, Ibrahimovic surpassed Bruno Alves' record as the oldest foreign player to net in Italy's top flight.

He has also now scored in 24 different league seasons, dating back to the 1998-99 Swedish league. “I’m happy that he came back well,” Milan manager Stefano Pioli said. “Beyond the obvious talent, it’s the passion and fire he has inside that keeps him going.

“Seeing the way he trains is a pleasure. His goal is to be the best and that hasn’t changed as the years go by.”

Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri was shown a red card after coming on to the pitch to remonstrate with Ibrahimovic for rubbing Lucas Leiva's head.