Ghana midfielder Michael Essien made a return from injury to play for AC Milan who slipped to a 2-0 defeat against AS Roma in the Italian Serie A on Friday evening.

The 31-year-old climbed off the bench to replace another Ghanaian international Sulley Muntari in the 58th minute at the Stadio Olimpico as Roma applied the brakes on Milan’s six-game unbeaten run.

Essien sustained a thigh problem in early April and was ruled out for 14 days but took a little while to bid his time to return to action.

But on Friday night, manager Clarence Seedorf named the ex-Chelsea star on his bench and later introduced him to replace his Ghanaian international team-mate Sulley Muntari with 32 minutes left to play.

But Ivorian international Yao Gervinho scored a 65th minute goal to add to a Miralem Pjanic first-half strike to help Roma defeat their rivals.