Making his first appearance after serving a doping ban, Joao Pedro gave Cagliari an early lead when converting a rebound that Gianluigi Donnarumma perhaps should have saved.

Giacomo Bonaventura missed two great first-half chances to equalise but Higuain levelled the scores at Sardegna Arena, in the process getting off the mark following his move from Juventus.

However, having thrown away a lead to lose at Napoli after its opener against Genoa was postponed, Milan languishes in the bottom half after taking only four points from its first three games of the season.

Cagliari took the lead inside four minutes, Donnarumma tipping a drive from Leonardo Pavoletti on to the woodwork with the goalkeeper unable to keep out the rebound strike from Joao Pedro.

Milan was clinging on and the hosts soon hit the post again, Nicolo Barella's superb swerving strike deserving better, then Bonaventura planted a free header wide at the other end.

Bonaventura produced an even worse miss in the 27th minute, arriving at the back post to meet Davide Calabria's in-swinging cross but sending his first-time effort flying over the crossbar.

Higuain was barely involved throughout the first half but levelled the scores 10 minutes after the break.

Franck Kessie charged down a defensive clearance and Higuain pounced on the loose ball, rounding goalkeeper Alessio Cragno easily before slotting a neat finish into the open goal from a tight angle.

Cragna did twice deny Suso and Higuain headed Diego Laxalt's cross wide as Milan pressed for a late winner, but the Rossoneri could not find a way through.