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A moment of magic from Ronaldinho allowed Andriy Shevchenko to get on the scoresheet and give his side a 1-0 win over Zurich to send Milan comfortably through to the next round of the UEFA Cup. Zurich 0-1 Milan.

Carlo Ancelotti will sleep well tonight as his side continue their winning streak in Europe and book themselves a place in the group stages of the competition after seeing off a decent challenge from a determined Zurich side.

First Half

Zurich got the game started but it was Milan who had the first real chances to score within the opening couple of minutes. Seedorf set up Shevchenko who laid it off to Flamini but the chance fizzled out as the former Arsenal man took too much time on the ball. A minute later Zambrotta fed Seedorf who played a brilliant one-two with Shevchenko who beat the offside trap to run through on goal but Johnny Leoni met the Ukrainian and made a decent save to stop his side from conceeding what would have been the opener.

The Italians looked bright and fit as they took control of the game. However there was some concern early on as Antonini went down injured. Luckily for the Rossoneri the youngster was able to continue. Carlo Ancelotti’s men settled down well and they played with confidence and style as they moved the ball around well creating some great chances. Zambrotta got the ball rolling when he went on one of his trademark runs down the wing. The world cup winner left three Zurich players for dead as he skipped past them to cut it back for Seedorf but the cross was headed back to the stopper who smashed a volley a-la-Van Basten but Leoni saved it well.

Aegeter tried his luck from distance on the first time volley but it went wide, much to the relief of Dida in goal. The home side began to raise the tempo as they came forward looking for the opener but Zambrotta and company were on song at the back and the Swiss side were finding it difficult. Milan hearts were in mouths on 20 minutes as Hassli has a glorious chance to give his side the lead after Okonkwo’s good work on the edge of the box. However, the striker blasted his effort over from a very tight angle. Zurich were always growing in stature and they looked dangerous as the half wore on.

Emerson started the game for Milan after only getting 30 minutes of football so far this term and he had his chance to shine when a good move involving Shevchenko and Ronaldinho culminated in the midfielder having a decent strike on goal but the shot fizzed past Leoni’s post. Minutes later there was some bad news for the Rossoneri as Kaladze had to come off injured. The Georgian stopper seemed to have stretched and strained his thigh muscle when going for a loose ball and he was replaced with Maldini.

Just before half time Antonini went on a brilliant down the left and played a terrific ball into Seedorf but the Ducthman saw his poke on the ball go wide of the far post. Seconds later Ronaldinho put the ball in the danger zone but the chance was wasted as the referee sent both teams into the dressing rooms for half time.

Second Half

The teams came out unchanged and the Italians got the affair back underway. Zurich won a free kick through Barmetta but he left the set piece up to Hassli. However his drive from distance was poor as it went, high, wide and into row z. Neither Milan nor the Swiss side showed any urgency in their play. Zurich never looked like a team who were chasing the result with the ambition of side looking to make the next stage of the UEFA Cup.

The Italians were lucky not have conceded a penalty and it at the whole stadium up in arms. Hassli made a decent run into the box and Zambrotta came across him to cut up his run. There was contact and the striker went down. Replays suggest it should have been a spot kick but the referee waved play on.

Il Diavolo looked a little nervous. Ronaldinho did what he could to ignite the game but the Rossoneri lacked the spark which is usually offered by Kaka who was watching from the bench. The Brazilian midfielder was then introduced into the fray on the hour mark as Ancelotti tried to inject some more attacking prowess into his side.

Emerson should be given the award for miss of the season if there ever was one. The midfielder wasted one of the moves of the game as Kaka, Seedorf and Ronaldinho ripped the Swiss defence to shreds with some razor sharp passing and moving but Emerson scuffed his shot as he went for power over accuracy to waste what would have been a dead certain goal.

On 70 minutes Shevchenko, who was rather quiet for most of the game, scored a well taken goal to give his side the lead on the night and make their passage into the group stage even stronger. Ronaldinho pulled the strings as he played a delightful lob-pass over the Zurich defence and into the path of the Ukrainian who slid the ball under Leoni and into the net. It was a sublime goal and it was Zambrotta who started the move. Seconds later Sheva should have made it two as he rolled back the years but his header was blocked.

Zurich tried in vain to play for some pride but the experience Milan machine held on to take a morale boosting result with them from their away day in Switzerland.

Teams Zurich 4-4-1-1: Leoni, Stahel, Tihinen, Brmettler, Stucki(Lampi), Djuric(Nikci), Abdi, Aegerter, Okonkwo, Alphonse(Tahirovic), Hassli.

Milan 4-3-2-1: Dida, Zambrotta, Bonera, Kaladze(Maldini), Antonini, Flamini, Emerson, Ambrosini(Ambrosini), Seedorf(Gattuso), Ronaldinho, Shevchenko.

Goals: Shevchenko(Milan)

Cards: N/A

(Goal)

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)

Carlo Ancelotti has won the Champions League twice as a player and twice as a coach with AC Milan.

Now, after a disastrous start to the season, the pressure is mounting on Ancelotti as he takes the club into the second-tier UEFA Cup. The seven-time European champion faces FC Zurich on Thursday.

“The biggest mistake would be to say who’s to blame and who’s not to blame,” Ancelotti said. “We’re staying united and the only thing we’re focusing on is training well.”

Milan has no points from two Serie A games and is next to last in the standings — despite the arrival of Ronaldinho and return of Andriy Shevchenko.

Shevchenko, who scored 73 goals in 296 games during seven seasons with Milan before a disappointing spell at Chelsea, said a victory over Zurich could ignite the season.

“We’re going through a rough period,” the Ukraine striker said. “We’ve got to try to stay united and get a victory right away to bounce back.”

Ancelotti is the longest serving coach in Serie A, but has failed to win the Italian league in the past four seasons. After the club finished fifth last season and missed out on a Champions League spot, fans and the media questioned whether Ancelotti had lost his touch.

Losses to modest Bologna and Genoa in the first two Serie A games and a 2-0 defeat to Swiss second-division side Lugano in a friendly have exacerbated to his woes. A defeat to FC Zurich in the first leg of the UEFA Cup first round could be the tipping point for Ancelotti.

Andrea Pirlo joined Milan’s injury list on Tuesday with a right thigh problem. He joins midfield partner Gennaro Gattuso, defender Alessandro Nesta and striker Filippo Inzaghi on the sidelines. Ancelotti may even rest Ronaldinho and Shevchenko.

Thursday’s game at San Siro is one of several eye-catching confrontations among the 40 games which will decide which clubs go through to the group phase.

(IHT)