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 Gonz�lez
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
Sebasti�n Ver�n, 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.
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