AC Milan Champions League Winners
Two Goals from Inzaghi ensured victory over Liverpool in Athens
AC Milan avenged the 2005 Champions League Final defeat by beating Liverpool in Athens. Goals from Inzaghi brought success to the Italians.Kuyt scored the Reds late goal.
AC Milan avenged their defeat in the 2005 Champions League Final by defeating Liverpool 2-1 in Athens to claim their seventh success in the competition from eleven finals. Their striker Pippo Inzaghi scored both goals, the first a deflected effort from a free-kick just before the interval and the second with eight minutes remaining.
Both teams started cautiously but it was Liverpool who showed the early initiative and Jermaine Pennant on the right was finding space to put in dangerous crosses. Following a Milan defensive mistake, Pennant had a chance to shoot but Dida saved and the defender hacked it clear. This signalled a period of Liverpool pressure with Steven Gerrard proving difficult to handle in his role behind the lone striker, Dirk Kuyt.
For a brief time midway through the half Milan came more into the game and Brazilian Kaka showed his skill with a shot that Pepe Reina saved well. Another time as Kaka broke Daniel Agger blocked his path to cut out the danger.
Again Pennant got room on the right on the break and crossed for Gerrard to shot high over.
Kaka was becoming more of an influence for Milan but Pennant was still causing danger in the Milan defence with his crosses and from one chance Xabi Alonso shot wide.
AC Milan Goal:
Liverpool were looking the more dangerous but with a minute to go a foul on Kaka by Alonso on the edge of the box saw Milan take an unexpected lead. From the free kick Andrea Pirlo curled it round the wall and the ball deflected off Pippo Inzaghi and into the net past Reina. Milan had taken an undeserved lead with only their second shot on target.
Rafa Benintez had shown his tactical awareness and planning to stop Milan but with Gerrard behind Dirk Kuyt and with Pennant and Bolo Zenden wide on the wings he was causing Milan considerable problems.
The second half started with both sides tentative in defence and neither team taking control. Liverpool had a let off when the linesman wrongly gave Kaka offside when he was through and then a slip by Aggers gave Inzaghii a chance but he recovered to clear.
To bring more pace to the wide left Harry Kewell who has only played 46 minutes of first team football this season replaced Zenden.
Another defensive misunderstanding by Liverpool saw Kaka brought down by Carragher but Pirlo put the free kick over the bar.
With just under half an hour left came perhaps the defining moment – a Milan defensive mistake and Gerrard broke clear but Dida saved his shot well.
More open play from end to end was causing alarm in both defences. Peter Crouch came on for Javier Mascherano to give support for Kuyt but as Liverpool pushed forward in search of a goal, Kaka was finding more space.
Pippo Inzaghi - Second Goal:
With six minutes remaining Milan scored the second goal a through pass to Inzaghi who went on and took the ball round Reina to score. This gave him his 58th goal in European football, putting him second on the goal scorers list behind Gert Muller.
For the first time in the game, Milan took control passing the ball around to retain possession and play out time. Liverpool continued to press but without success until from a corner with two minutes remaining Kuyt a consolation goal - but it was too late.
AC Milan - Champions of Europe
AC Milan have set aside the problems of the match-fixing scandal of last season and are crowned the best team in Europe. Liverpool will feel aggrieved that they have lost as they were the better team in the first half but after AC Milan got the opening goal just before half-time, they couldn’t exert enough pressure on the Italian team to get back into the game.
