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AC Milan 0 - Barcelona 1 Milan: Dida; Stam
(Cafu 77'), Nesta, Kaladze, Serginho; Seedorf, Pirlo (Maldini 67'), Gattuso
(Ambrosini 74'); Kaka; Shevchenko, Gilardino. 4-3-1-2. Goals: Barcelona took a giant step towards the Champions League final with a 0-1 win against AC Milan in this first leg semi-final. The Italians had not lost in the San Siro stadium since 2003, and they almost went ahead early on when Gilardino hit the post following a long throw. A couple of minutes later Valdés did well to block a header from Shevchenko, but after that the pressure dropped, and Frank Rijkaard's side had a couple of chances themselves, a long shot from Eto'o which Dida dealt with comfortably, and a free kick from just outside of the area which Ronaldinho fired in to the defensive wall. Pirlo curled a free kick just wide of the post at the other end, but Giuly just failed to pick up a Ronaldinho through ball, and then fired another shot at the keeper, and Eto'o made himself space only to shoot way over the bar on the stroke of half time. Kaka should have put the locals ahead soon after the restart, shooting wide from close up after Shevchenko set him up, but a few minutes later Barça took the lead, Ronaldinho holding off a challenge to lift a pass through for Giuly to turn a left foot shot into the roof of the net. The Spaniards wanted more though, and Ronaldinho almost provided it on a quick counter-attack when he poked a shot against the foot of the post, the ball spinning across goal and going out for a goalkick at the other side. Iniesta tested Dida again after a quick passing move, but Milan could have equalised later on, firstly when substitute Ambrosini turned a shot wide of the far post, then when Kaka got through only to shoot wide. Barça held on though for their first win against their opponents in Italy in 47 years, a result which gives them a big advantage for next week's second leg in the Nou Camp. |
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