Pippo opens Champions account


A goal from Pippo Inzaghi on his 33rd birthday gave Milan a 1-0 lead against Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League preliminary round.

The Rossoneri had only a couple of weeks to prepare for this preliminary round at San Siro after the Calciopoli appeal revoked the earlier decision to rule them out of Europe altogether.


Coach Carlo Ancelotti had to do without the injured Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta, while new signing Daniele Bonera was suspended. Therefore 40-year-old Billy Costacurta led the defence and Kaka started behind Alberto Gilardino and 33rd birthday boy Pippo Inzaghi, effectively ending the rumours of a summer switch to Real Madrid for the Brazilian.


It was Red Star who had the first chance after 90 seconds when Costacurta was dispossessed, but Dida came to the rescue with a good save on a Georgiev Blagoy side-foot finish. Moments later Milan also threatened with Clarence Seedorf wasting two good opportunities created by Andrea Pirlo and Marcos Cafu, then Gilardino just failed to tap in a taut cross from the impressive Cafu.


The Brazilian veteran was in scintillating shape after the World Cup and Gilardino nodded his chipped assist straight at the goalkeeper. Kaka had a slow start, but after 19 minutes his change of pace left the defence stranded and a shot beaten away.


Milan eventually broke through with a splendid team goal finished off by the birthday boy. Some wonderful one-touch football came through to Gilardino and then Kaka, whose slide-rule pass found Super Pippo Inzaghi for the strike at the near post – his 53rd in European competition.


Inzaghi nearly made it 2-0 on the half-hour, but a pinball inside the area couldn’t find the final ricochet past a panicked Randelovic. Red Star were still dangerous on occasions with a Nikola Zigic header over the bar, but Milan were comfortable and Gaj was booked for hauling down Gennaro Gattuso when he had a clear run at goal. It was only a yellow card because the foul occurred just past the centre circle. A lucky deflection fell to Inzaghi, but his shot looped over off a defender.


The second half started in similar fashion with Pirlo’s long-range free kick beaten away, but Blagoy went close when his effort from outside the area skimmed the bar. Pirlo sent Cafu running and the goalkeeper somehow scrambled the ball away from Gilardino from six yards.


The former Parma striker is still looking for his first Champions League goal and wasted a great opportunity from point-blank range, spinning Kaka’s shot at the ‘keeper. Moments later Gilardino’s glancing header brought a fine one-handed save out of Randelovic, then the Belgrade shot-stopper denied Seedorf’s piledriver.


Massimo Ambrosini replaced Gilardino, pushing Kaka further up in support of Inzaghi for the closing stages, while Cristian Brocchi replaced the excellent Cafu and Yoann Gourcuff made his official Milan debut. Dario Simic’s woeful lobbed backpass almost got Dida into trouble, but Zigic fouled the Brazilian to let Milan off the hook.


Ancelotti’s side go to Belgrade on August 23 with a 1-0 lead, but it could’ve been so much more if their forwards had been a little more level-headed within sight of goal. Considering the brief period of time they had to prepare, it was an impressive overall performance in front of over 50,000 fans.



Milan 1-0 Red Star Belgrade
Scorers: Inzaghi 22 (M)



Milan: Dida; Cafu (Brocchi 79), Simic, Costacurta, Serginho; Gattuso, Pirlo (Gourcuff 81), Seedorf, Kaka; Inzaghi, Gilardino (Ambrosini 72)


Red Star Belgrade: Randelovic; Pantic, Bisevac, Gaj, Perovic (Tutoric 66); Basta, Kovacevic, Milovanovic (Dokic 81), Blagoy; Jankovic (Krivokapic 89); Zigic