Programming note for those in North America: the game will be shown LIVE on the Fox Soccer Channel in the US and Canada. Gametime is 5am Eastern.

Shouldn't be too hard.

Would be good to give players like Gourcuff, Brocchi, Bonera... to start in this game, and keep as much first 11 players as possible for the final. Gila should start in this one and Pippo in the final.

Oh man, its an early kickoff. Will be at college when this match is on

That's so early! Hopefully I'll make the rerun

5 AM?? I think I just might be able to watch the whole game right before I have to head off for school. gotta get to the bus stop by 6:45...ooh, just in time!!

Just a quick note. I watched the replay of the Urawa-Sepahan game and there were a couple of shots of Billy Costacurta in the stands, all bundled up with gloves and a woolly cap. The commentators (god help us, Fox Soccer is using the guys who did the MLS commentary and they're really pretty dire) knew he was 'from the Milan staff' but couldn't identify him.

I watched part of the replay too.. the last 20 min or so. Urawa didn't look particularly impressive, they seem like a technical side like Milan, I really don't expect any problems although they are playing in front of a home crowd.

Forza Milan!

I can't wait...haven't seen Milan play in awhile

i share ur pain, the soccer report is pretty bad. I'm constantly correcting all the mistakes they make.

How couldn't they?! Billy is as much a symbol of Milan as Maldini. shame!

I sent a rant asking that very question, zd.

Good

Wow! I think they must have read the email. I'm watching the Etoile-Boca game (still scoreless in the 30th) live and they just mentioned that 'Alessandro Costacurta, the Milan assistant coach' had scouted the Urawa game.

EDIT: Etoile 0 - 1 Boca. Goal Cardozo in the 36th.

Was wondering... do the Boca players feel any jet lag or did they just miss one day which they are going to earn back on their way home!??

No clue, dst. I'm not good on the rules when crossing the international date line.

FT Etoile 0 - 1 Boca.

Not the best performance by Boca -- I've seen them play far better -- and they even had a guy sent off. Etoile had chances, but just weren't able to finish.

gila or pippo starting?

I don't think the lineup is out yet. My guess would Gila would start against Urawa while Pippo would start against Boca (if we advance)

maybe pippo and r9 for the xeneises

CWC Semi-Final Preview: AC Milan - Urawa Reds -- goal.com preview

The champions of Europe and Asia meet on Thursday evening to decide which continent will be represented in the final of the Club World Cup on Sunday.

Milan Aiming To End Negative Sequence

Milan come into this edition of the FIFA Club World Cup having failed in their previous three attempts to become club champions of the world.

Four years ago, whilst the tournament was still known as the Intercontinental Cup they lost on penalties to Boca Juniors following a 1-1 draw after extra time.

The Argentine-giants and 2007 Copa Libertadores winners are the Rossoneri’s most likely opponents in Sunday’s final if, as expected, Milan beat Japanese-outfit Urawa Reds in Thursday’s semi-final.

Before this defeat to Boca Juniors, Milan also suffered losses in 1993 and 1994.

In the former they were beaten 3-2 by an outstanding Sao Paulo side containing the likes of Cerezo, Leonardo and Luiz Muller, while a year later they were defeated 2-0 by Jose Chilavert’s Velez Sarsfield.

Urawa's Chance For More Glory After Roller-Coaster Year

This is the game that the whole of Japan have been waiting for and while Urawa may not always be everyone’s favourite team in the Land of the Rising Sun, it is not only their famous fans that will be cheering them on tonight.

Urawa are the first Japanese club to appear at the competition. This year, FIFA decided to give Japan, the host nation, a place but Urawa qualified in their own right by lifting the Asian Champions League trophy.

It has been an amazing 12 months for the Saitama side. The Reds won the J-League for the first time last December, won the continental cup at their first attempt and are looking to round things off with the Club World Cup.

Despite a glorious year, Urawa entered the competition on the back of a terrible run of domestic form. Exhausted by their Asian exertions, Urawa collected a mere three points from their last five leagues allowing Kashima Antlers to overturn a massive 10-point deficit and claim the title by a margin of two points. An Emperor’s Cup exit at the hands of second division Ehime FC was another setback.

After the frantic last two months of the season, Urawa finally had time to recover before comfortably defeating Sepahan of Iran in Monday's quarter-final.

Previous Successes

Milan first appeared in the final in the competition’s very original two-legged format back in 1963. Nereo Rocco’s men were involved in a legendary match with Pele’s Santos, which finished 6-6 on aggregate, and was settled by a 1-0 playoff win for the Brazilians.

The Rossoneri then won their next three outings, beating the infamously violent Independiente in 1969, Atletico Nacional 20 years later, and finally Olimpia Asuncion in 1990.

All in all Milan have a record of won three and lost four in previous ‘Club World Cup’ appearances. European Jinx

Since the FIFA Club World Cup officially replaced the Intercontinental Cup in 2005, a European team has yet to win. Liverpool lost 1-0 to Sao Paulo in 2005, while Barcelona lost by the same scoreline to Internacional last year.

Milan Vice-President Adriano Galliani has declared the FIFA Club World Cup as Milan’s “number one objective” for the season so surely Milan will break this European hoodoo?

Asian teams have yet to set the competition alight.

Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad defeated African champions Al-Ahly in 2005 before losing 3-2 to eventual winners Sao Paulo in the semi-final. South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors eased past Auckland City in 2006 before losing 1-0 to Club America in the quarter-final.

FORM GUIDE

Milan

Milan – Celtic 1-0 (Champions League)

Milan – Juventus 0-0

Benfica – Milan 1-1

Cagliari – Milan 1-2

Shakhtar Donetsk – Milan 0-3 (Champions League)

Milan – Torino 0-0

Urawa

Urawa – Sepahan 3-1 (CWC)

Yokohama FC – Urawa 1-0

Ehime – Urawa 1-0 (Emperor’s Cup)

Urawa – Kashima 0-1

Kawasaki – Urawa 1-1

TEAM NEWS

Milan

Milan have been boosted by the return to training of Ronaldo and Marek Jankulovski. While the latter could be set to play, ‘El Fenomeno’ will not be risked, although it is speculated that he will be fit for Sunday’s final should the Rossoneri make it there.

Reports coming out of Italy suggest that Coach Carlo Ancelotti will field a strong line-up and will not fall into the trap that many European teams have done in this competition in the past in under-estimating their opposition.

Urawa

The ligament injury suffered by Brazilian playmaker Robson Ponte in the final game of the season is a big blow to boss Holger Osieck. Captain Nobuhisa Yamada and striker Tatsuya Tanaka are also doubts.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Kaka (Milan)

The newly-crowned Ballon d’Or winner was mobbed by theatrical fans when Milan landed at Tokyo International Airport last week. The brilliant Brazilian should have too much class for the Japanese-side to handle.

Marcos Tulio Tanaka (Urawa)

The Brazilian-born defender is a giant at the back for Urawa and was named J-League MVP in 2006. Tanaka is strong in the tackle, good on the ball and great in the air. He is a threat from set pieces but against a star-studded Milan, his defensive qualities are what the Reds need.

PREDICTION

Providing Milan go into this game in a professional manner there can surely be only one winner. It won’t be easy as some think however– backed by some of the most passionate fans in the world, Urawa were unbeaten in the Asian Champions League and are fired up.

Milan 2-0 Urawa Red Diamonds

1 hour to go ... we should have the official line-up soon.


FORZA MILAN

Official Line-up

Dida;
Oddo, Nesta, Kaladze, Jankulovski;
Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini;
Kakà, Seedorf;
Gilardino.


wat a sexy line-up

Janku's back

lets hope this is a turning point to our season

Please tell me the milan site has the audio running for this...

JANKU! Good to see him back.

When you access the live audio page does it still say Cetic vs Milan or has it switched to urawa vs milan?

Ha-ha!!! This one is on a normal evening time for you huh? Finally...

Go Milan!!!

Is it just me or is there no live audio section any more...

This is sh*t..

I don't see a live audio section either.

Now this site is terrible. The one good feature this site had. Anywhere else you can hear audio from, cause my internet is terrible.

yep 9:30 ... first time i'll be watching a Milan game not half-asleep.

were playin in white and with some gold letters on our jersey

anyone know what it says?

It reads 'Thank You Jefri' and all of our players have number 91 on the back.

Ofcourse

It was working on the last 2 games, Serie A and CL. But I don't think they have live English coverage of the CWC neither the Coppa

We'll try to keep you as updated as we can

Got no attacking options on the bench..

16 Zeljko Kalac
29 Valerio Fiori
2 Cafu
3 Paolo Maldini
25 Daniele Bonera
17 Dario Simic
19 Giuseppe Favalli

(Or maybe it says 'Club World Cup 2007').

Al those are defenders!!!

Why didn't he put atleast Yoann, Brocchi and Pippo???

Gourcuff not even on the bench!


Nah...

Where's Inzaghi !!?

Appreciated han.

Just for anyone interested, there is a matchcast for the the game on the official fifa world club cup site.

LETS GO ROSSONERI! LETS GO RICKY!

Eurosport is doing live text commentary if you want to follow that.

link

our subs:

Zeljko Kalac
Valerio Fiori
Cafu
Paolo Maldini
Dario Simic
Giuseppe Favalli
Daniele Bonera
Serginho
Emerson
Yoann Gourcuff
Cristian Brocchi
Filippo Inzaghi

its too long for club world cup.
btw urawa fans are amazing, very loud and nice chants

Yep it's very detailed and updated constanly

Reds on the attack atm

http://4.livefooty.doctor-serv.com/thu13.1...awa_Milan2.html

I think Carlo's underestimating this match. this is ridiculous; all defenders and 'keepers.

We cannot afford o lose this game, can we?

http://soccerstand.enetpulse.com/livestats/?id=231571

Yikes. Yellow to Nesta who was waaaaay up in the midfield.

Which one is it finally!?