Milan 2, Inter 0


Cross-town rivals Inter Milan and Milan AC battle in a Champions' League quarterfinal match that turns into part two of the Andreas Pirlo show.

The derby pits two giants of Italian football against each other in a late-stage Champions' League match. Milan's Cafu is already giving Inter trouble in the early going. Dido saves brilliantly in the 10th minute off a free kick by Milan. Inter have come out with energy and pace, although Milan are cagey and dangerous-looking. The play is positive, end-to-end stuff, both sides have come to play and are resisting the temptation to sit back and play a timid, slow, sleepy game. Pirlo lines up a free kick in the 23rd, and Inter must be nervous after his performance with the Azurri against Scotland (see earlier post.) Nothing comes of it, or of a Veron free in the 33rd. But in the first minute of first-half injury time, Pirlo is fouled, takes his own free kick and finds Jaap Stam's bald head in front of goal. Stam flicks in for the 1-0.
The entry of Vieri in the 56th minute energizes Inter, although Milan's counter-attacks are still threatening. In the 74th off a Pirlo corner, Shevchenko rises to score off a header. Milan have sealed it with a crafty second-half performance that relied on guile and counter-punches. Inter are pushing for the remainder of the game, but hust can't find a way through. In injury time, it is Milan who almost score, Dido just tipping a hard shot over the bar. It ends, as it should, moments later, 2-0 Milan. The score could have been higher for Milan if not for Dido's performance in goal. Pirlo has both assists and is showing himself to provide the best service in Europe right now.

Posted: Thu - April 14, 2005 at 09:50 AM          

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