Rossoneri beat Liverpool 2-1. Two goals for Inzaghi

Thursday, 24 May 2007

It was a very sweet evening in Athens for AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini, 39, as he lifted another Champions League trophy aloft.

The Athenian air was equally sweet for Pippo Inzaghi, whose two goals saw off the Reds,and for Carlo Ancelotti, savouring success at the end of a particularly difficult season.

It was sweet for Kakà, who can now add this trophy to a CV that makes him a contender for the Golden Ball. But above all, it was a sweet evening for the celebrating Milan fans, who were enjoying revenge for that ill-starred final in Istanbul two years ago.

Yes, AC Milan is on top of Europe again.After a 2-1 victory over Liverpool, the best Cup of them all is in the Rossoneri’s trophy cupboard for the seventh time.

THE MATCH – Victory came at the end of a demanding match. The Rossoneri were less spectacular than in recent European games and had to endure aggressive pressure from a Liverpool side that was getting uncomfortably close to Dida. But the defence held firm and Kakà started to create problems for Liverpool’s own defenders.Two minutes from half-time came the turning point.

A Pirlo free kick took a deflection off Inzaghi and cannoned into the back of the net,allowing Ancelotti’s side to leave the field with a one-goal lead. In the second half, Milan responded better to the Reds’ onslaughts but the game still hung by a thread. Then ten minutes from the end Inzaghi, just onside, broke away to skip past Reina and slot the ball home.It looked all over but there was more to come.Two minutes from the final whistle, Kuyt pulled one back.

Milan supporters’ thoughts turned to Istanbul but this time it was a different story. When the final whistle blew, the celebrations began. There was applause and commiseration for the losers, as Liverpool fans gave voice to You’ll Never Walk Alone, despite their disappointment, but the Cup was firmly in the hands of Paolo Maldini. It was Milan’s seventh success,which means the Rossoneri have more trophies that any other club in Europe.

MILAN’S JOY – “That’s one in the eye for everyone who said Italian football was on the rocks”. Rino Gattuso made the first post-match comment. “In one year”, said the midfielder, “we’ve won the World Cup and the Champions League.

That Istanbul defeat will live with me forever but today they’re weeping the way we did two years ago”. “It wasn’t easy”, said Carlo Ancelotti, “partly because we started the season amid a lot of uncertainty last August. But we’re enjoying ourselves now, more than in 2003 against Juventus”.

Paolo Maldini is already looking ahead.“I’ll still be playing next season because now there’s a Super Cup and an Intercontinental Cup to win”.The last word is from the hero of the evening. “That first goal?A set move”, jokes Pippo Inzaghi. Then he admits,“Two goals in the final. I still can’t believe it!”. He’d better believe it, though.Here in Athens, it really did happen.

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