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Shevchenko, Stam head Milan to win over Inter
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-04-07 09:25 European Footballer of the
Year Andriy Shevchenko was on target for AC Milan when they beat city rivals
Inter 2-0 in their Champions League quarter-final, first leg on Wednesday to
make them favourites to reach the last four.
Dutch defender Jaap Stam put Milan ahead on the stroke of halftime with his
first goal for the club, rising well to head home a free kick from Andrea Pirlo.
The classy Pirlo provided Milan's second in the 74th minute when his whipped
in free kick from wide on Inter's left was met superbly by Shevchenko, the
Ukrainian marking his return from six weeks on the sidelines with a potentially
vital headed goal.
Inter will feel the result was rough justice after they forced Milan's
Brazilian keeper Dida into three saves before Stam scored with his team's first
effort on goal.
But Carlo Ancelotti's Milan looked to have the edge over Inter in every
department and were comfortably in charge throughout the second half - although
they suffered a late scare when Inter's Greek substitute Giorgos Karagounis hit
the post from a nearly impossible angle.
Inter, without their leading scorer Adriano, started brightly and produced
the first effort on goal in the 10th minute when central defender Sinisa
Mihajlovic tested Dida with a characteristically dangerous free kick.
Milan soon gained the ascendancy in midfield, though, with Pirlo keeping the
ball moving and Gennaro Gattuso at his tigerish best.
INTER NEAR-MISSES
The Italian champions lacked sharpness in attack, however, with Shevchenko
looking rusty after last playing on February 19 when he suffered a fractured
cheekbone.
Inter lacked Milan's fluency and composure but nonetheless created the better
openings and once again Dida was called into action when in the 34th minute he
pushed over a well-struck free kick, this time from Juan Sebastian Veron.
Milan then had Gattuso booked for handball in the 34th minute, ruling him out
of Tuesday's second leg.
Shortly before the break Inter produced their best move of the game which
ended with Julio Ricardo Cruz finding enough space in the Milan area to curl the
ball goalwards but Dida did well again with a diving save to his left.
In the last move of the half, Milan grabbed the lead with Stam's glancing
header inside the far post.
Shortly after the restart Mihajlovic went close with another free kick, which
whistled over the crossbar but Milan's grip on the game gradually tightened.
Inter coach Roberto Mancini brought on Christian Vieri for Cruz in the 55th
minute but the Italy international, still suffering with muscle problems, failed
to worry the Milan defence even after Alessandro Nesta had to go off with a
knock.
Milan looked comfortable but had created little until they grabbed the second
goal 16 minutes from time from an almost identical set piece to their opener.
Shevchenko then nearly put the tie beyond Inter with a 20-metre left foot
drive that Toldo managed to tip over the bar.
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