Milan march into group stage
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Article summary
FK Crvena Zvezda 1-2 AC Milan (agg: 1-3) Filippo Inzaghi and Clarence Seedorf helped Milan progress to the UEFA Champions League group stage.
Article body
AC Milan marched confidently into the UEFA Champions League group stage with a 3-1 aggregate win against FK Crvena Zvezda in the third qualifying round.
Passionate support
Goals from Filippo Inzaghi and Clarence Seedorf gave the six-times European champions a 2-1 second-leg victory in front of a passionate 55,000 crowd in Belgrade. Inzaghi put Milan ahead with a close-range header from Gennaro Gattuso's cross in the 29th minute and Seedorf doubled the lead in the 79th when he rifled in a low shot from 13 metres.
Consolation goal
Striker Dušan Djokić salvaged some pride for the Serbian champions 60 seconds later when he volleyed in Nikola Žigić's deflected cross but it was too little too late for the home side. Milan made sure their name would be in Thursday's draw for the UEFA Champions League by slowing the game down in the closing stages, denying Crvena Zvezda a way back.
