Milan move into last four
Tuesday, 12 April 2005
By Matthew Spiro at Giuseppe Meazza
AC Milan booked their place in the last four of the UEFA Champions
League in unsatisfactory circumstances after the second leg of
their quarter-final with FC Internazionale Milano was abandoned due
to crowd trouble.
Merk swift
Plastic bottles, flares and an umbrella were among objects thrown
from the crowd behind Milan goalkeeper Dida, who was struck on the
shoulder by one firework 72 minutes into the match. German referee
Markus Merk made a swift decision to take both sets of players off
the Giuseppe Meazza pitch and into the dressing rooms.
Shevchenko goal
Milan, who won the first leg 2-0 last week, had taken a 30th-minute
lead through Andriy Shevchenko to lead 3-0 on aggregate but shortly
after Nerazzurri midfield player Esteban Cambiasso had a goal
disallowed, play was suspended. After a 20-minute break play was
resumed, but Merk abandoned the game moments later when more
objects landed on the field.
UEFA decision
A decision by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Board will
determine whether or not tonight's result stands but there seems
little doubt that Inter's European campaign is over - and in
bitterly disappointing circumstances.
Early bookings
It was Milan, despite the absence of suspended midfield player
Gennaro Gattuso, who enjoyed the game's first chance. After early
yellow cards to Gattuso's replacement Massimo Ambrosini, as well as
Inter pair Kily González and Marco Materazzi, Andrea Pirlo curled a
free-kick narrowly wide of the right-hand post.
Smart save
Inter produced their first effort on goal moments later as Juan
Sebastián Verón, the home side's most dangerous attacking player in
the early stages, struck a powerful drive from 25 metres that
forced Dida into a smart save.
Deadlock broken
With the fit-again Adriano marshalled by Jaap Stam, Inter failed to
get the early goal they wanted and their task became even more
daunting on 30 minutes when Milan opened the scoring. Shevchenko
picked up possession on the right side of the penalty area and
unleashed a superb left-footed shot that swung inside Francesco
Toldo's right-hand post. It was the Ukrainian's 13th career strike
against Inter and left the Nerazzurri needing an improbable four
goals to go through.
Dida record
Unfazed, Inter were quickly on the attack and Dida - hoping for a
Champions League record sixth consecutive clean sheet - did well to
tip Kily's long-range effort around the post on 33 minutes, before
Adriano was off target with his first shot of the night. Milan
stood firm at the back, however, and could even have doubled their
lead before the break as Cafu headed Shevchenko's hanging cross
wide when well placed.
Adriano injured
Mancini made two changes at half-time, with Sinisa Mihajlovic and
Julio Cruz replacing Cristiano Zanetti and Kily as the home side
reverted to a 4-4-2 formation. He was forced to make a third
substitution seven minutes later when Adriano sustained an injury
and made way for Obafemi Martins.
Instant impression
The Nigerian striker made an instant impression, bursting past Stam
with his first touch before seeing a low shot stopped by Dida.
Milan's Dutch defender appeared uncomfortable against the pace of
Martins and his slip offered the substitute another glimpse of goal
on the hour, but this time his shot was easily saved.
Match abandoned
Inter midfield player Cambiasso thought he had restored parity on
the night when his header squeezed in at the far post but referee
Merk disallowed the effort for a push and promptly booked the
Argentinian for dissent. Moments later the evening's unsavoury
events began to unfold and the match was brought to a premature
close.
With commpliments from
Uefa.com