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AC Milan snapped its two-game losing streak with a 3-1 win over FC Zurich on Thursday in the first leg of the UEFA Cup’s opening round.

Left back Marek Jankulovsi put Milan ahead by volleying in a rebound in first-half added time, Brazil forward Alexandre Pato found the target with a free kick in the 56th and second-half substitute Marco Borriello connected from beyond the area in the 74th.

Dusan Djuric pulled one back for Zurich with a long, rising shot that ricocheted in off the crossbar in the 78th.

Milan lost its opening two games in Serie A and is tied for last in the Italian league with zero points. Things looked like they might get worse for Rossoneri in the 38th when Zurich’s Florian Stahel appeared to give his team the lead with a header off a free kick, but the goal was annulled with a controversial offside call.

“This team has a lot of skill and it’s a great group. We didn’t blame anyone. That’s the strength of this team, understanding how to bounce back,” Borriello said. “You’re going to see another Milan in the upcoming games.”

Milan started with Kaka directing Andriy Shevchenko and Pato in attack, with Dida in goal for a change and Ronaldinho on the bench at the San Siro.

Except for Zurich’s annulled goal, Milan controlled virtually the entire first half.

Jankulovski missed a close-range chance four minutes in and Zurich goalkeeper John Leoni had to stretch out to push away a bicycle kick from Shevchenko in the 16th.

Still, Milan appeared to grow frustrated it could not find the target, and Kaka sent an ill-advised long shot high over the bar in the 30th.

In the 37th, Shevchenko hit the crossbar with a powerful blast from a step inside the area.

After Zurich’s apparent goal was waved off, Kaka started the play that led to Milan’s first score, with the Brazil playmaker setting up Shevchenko perfectly with a through pass. The Ukraine forward’s shot was blocked by Leoni and Jankulovski sent it back toward the target with a shot that deflected in off a defender.

Zurich threatened again in the 55th when French forward Alexandre Alphonse hit the post, using the tip of his foot to redirect a long throw-in from inside the goal box, as Milan’s once-vaunted defense looked on helplessly.

A minute later, Pato doubled Milan’s lead, finding the corner of the goal from nearly 30 meters (yards).

Pato was replaced in the 66th by Borriello, who took a pass from Shevchenko to score on his first opportunity, showing the form that enabled him to notch 19 goals on loan with Genoa in Serie A last season.

Ronaldinho came on for Shevchenko in the 75th and Zurich scored three minutes later.

In the 90th, Clarence Seedorf couldn’t finish off a beautiful set-up from Kaka and Jankulovski.

After the game, tempers flared between police and the nearly 2,000 Zurich fans in attendance. Objects were thrown at the police but order was restored as the visiting fans were escorted out of the stadium, the ANSA news agency reported.

The return leg is scheduled for Zurich on Oct. 2.

(IHT)