AC Milan beats Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 on goals
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Substitute Filippo Inzaghi scored two goals and set up a third to lift AC Milan to a 3-0 win Tuesday over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions league.
Inzaghi, who came in for Alberto Gilardino in the 63rd minute, gave Milan the lead three minutes later off Andrea Pirlo's pass.
Pirlo stole the ball from Fernandinho and Inzaghi rushed on to volley it past goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov. Six minutes later, Inzaghi assisted Kaka in the box, who beat Pyatov into the right lower corner of the net to make it 2-0. Inzaghi then scored again in injury time off Kaka's cross in the box.
"The game was characterized in the first half by Shakhtar's cautiousness," Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "Inzaghi's goal opened the game up. It set them off balance."
Ronaldo was on the bench for the first time this season after getting injured during training camp, although Ancelotti decided not to use him.
"I used a bit of caution," Ancelotti said. "With this cold, there was no sense in bringing him on."
The defending champions had several chances to score in the first half, but Pyatov blocked Pirlo's powerful free kick in the 35th.
Milan pressed after the interval and Massimo Ambrosini's header off Pirlo's cross hit the left post in the 56th minute.
Ambrosini was booked for a foul against Brandao in the 70th and will miss the next match with two yellow cards.
Shakhtar pressed for a consolation goal before Inzaghi scored his third goal in as many matches.
The victory gives Milan the lead in Group D with nine points after four games. Shakhtar and Celtic are tied for second with six, while Benfica is last with three.
Milan next travels to Benfica on Nov. 28, while Shakhtar will be at Celtic
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