Lille beat Milan 2 - 0 Thursday, December 07, 2006
French club Lille reached the Champions League knockout stage for the first time after a 2-0 win over already-qualified AC Milan at the San Siro on Wednesday.
Lille's victory came thanks to goals from Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie and Ivory Coast midfielder Kader Keita which saw them finish second above AEK Athens and Anderlecht in Group H behind the Italians who were already sure of top spot.
The French side went ahead in the seventh minute when Milan's Australian keeper Zeljko Kalac failed to hold Mathieu Bodmer's drive and Odemwingie slotted home the loose ball.
Bodmer had a hand in Lille's second after 66 minutes when he played a neat return pass to Keita who confidently beat Kalac.
It was Milan's first defeat at home to French opposition. The six-times European champions had also won 15 of their previous 17 European home games, losing just once -- in last season's semi-final against Barcelona.
