Sport

Ancelotti happy with Milan's result

Sparta Prague 0 AC Milan 0: Holders AC Milan were held to a 0-0 draw by Sparta Prague in a Champions League knockout round first…

Wed Feb 25 2004 - 00:00

Sparta Prague 0 AC Milan 0: Holders AC Milan were held to a 0-0 draw by Sparta Prague in a Champions League knockout round first-leg match played in freezing conditions in Prague yesterday.

Temperatures had dipped to below zero when English referee Graham Poll blew his whistle to start play and it took the holders' attack a while to warm up.

Sparta had the better of a first half dominated by defences and the hosts' striker Igor Glusevic found the back of the net in the 52nd minute, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

The close call appeared to wake up AC Milan's slumbering attack and Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko was twice foiled by the excellent positioning and quick reflexes of Sparta keeper Jaromir Blazek.

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"For us to hold them to a draw is a good result, Even better is that it was a scoreless draw. It would be much tougher for us if we had of let them score an away goal, even if we ended up drawing in the end," said Sparta coach Jiri Kotrba.

Milan have scored just five times in nine European games since last season's quarter-finals and the Serie A side have only scored more than one goal in only one of their last 17 Champions League matches, a 3-2 home win over Ajax last season.

But the team's lack of firepower does not concern Brazilian international defender Cafu.

"We had enough chances. We played well defensively, they didn't score so we take that as a positive and we're satisfied.

"We didn't lose and I think we outplayed them overall," Cafu said.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti was satisfied with his side's efforts. "It was a nice game from the point of view of how we played, I thought. I actually feel a little bitter that we didn't win," he said. "I feel we are on the way to the quarter-finals."

SPARTA PRAGUE: Blazek, Hubschman, Johana, Labant, Pergl, Zelenka (Sivok 90), Poborsky, Michalik, Kovac, Stajner (Glusevic 85), Gluscevic (Baranek 73). Subs Not Used: Kouba, Poledica, Homola, Jun.

AC MILAN: Dida, Maldini, Costacurta, Cafu, Pancaro, Gattuso, Seedorf, Pirlo, Kaka, Shevchenko, Inzaghi (Serginho 85). Subs Not Used: Abbiati, Kaladze, Laursen, Redondo, Rui Costa, Ambrosini. Booked: Gattuso, Cafu.

Referee: Graham Poll (England).