AC Milan ... 1 Real Madrid ... 0A 40th-minute Andriy Shevchenko goal gave AC Milan a 1-0 win over European champions Real Madrid in an outstanding Champions League match yesterday which confirmed the return of the Italian side to the continent's elite.
Portuguese midfielder Rui Costa split the Real defence with a perfect through ball into the path of the Ukrainian who fired past Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas for the goal, but that was by no means the only moment of class in a fascinating encounter.
Both sides created ample chances in a hugely entertaining match, but Milan, who never sat back on their lead, deserved the win against a Real side without flu-struck Brazilian Ronaldo.
Right from the outset, it was clear that these two teams, with 14 European Cup wins between them and both liberally sprinkled with some of the finest talent in the modern game, were in the kind of relaxed and confident mood needed to produce a spectacle for the sell-out 78,000 crowd.
Rui Costa was the first to make his mark on the game in the second minute with an intelligent pass inside to Clarence Seedorf whose low shot was well saved by Casillas.
The Italians were buzzing with Rivaldo trying a shot from range and then Shevchenko firing just wide after a sharp turn inside the area and Real's defence, without the experience of the injured Fernando Hierro, looked far from composed.
But the Spaniards gave warning that Milan could ill afford to ease off when in the 22nd minute Luis Figo was given room in midfield to run at the Milan defence and then unleash a firm drive which flashed just wide of Dida's right-hand post.
Milan's Brazilian goalkeeper was in action again to push a dangerous Zinedine Zidane shot over the bar and Real's passing and movement was so impressive that the San Siro spectators twice responded with applause.
But, five minutes before the interval, the stadium erupted in delight after Rui Costa split the Real defence and Shevchenko, having lost both his markers, fired confidently past Casillas.
Milan threw the Italian tactical textbook out of the window in the second-half as they continued to take the game to the nine-times European champions.
Six minutes after the restart, Rui Costa forced an outstanding save out of Casillas with a dipping shot after some brilliant approach play from Rivaldo and then Seedorf should have done better when he rushed a shot wide following a surging midfield run from the combative Massimo Ambrosini.
The only real scare for Milan though came when Zidane's header from a corner caused a scramble and Raul looked to have forced the ball over the line but the offside flag had been raised.
There was still time for a stinging low free-kick from Roberto Carlos which well stopped by the impeccable Dida. It was his and Milan's night.
In last night's other Group C game, Borussia Dortmund came back from a goal down to claim a 2-1 win at Lokomotiv Moscow.
AC MILAN: Dida, Simic (Chamot 89), Costacurta, Maldini, Kaladze, Seedorf, Gattuso, Ambrosini, Rui Costa (Serginho 75), Rivaldo, Shevchenko (Tomasson 81). Subs Not Used: Abbiati, Helveg, Inzaghi, Pirlo. Booked: Gattuso.Goals: Shevchenko 39.
REAL MADRID: Casillas, Pavsn, Helguera, Salgado, Cambiasso (Solari 75), Celades, Carlos, Figo, Zidane, Raul, Morientes (Portillo 60). Subs Not Used: Cesar, McManaman, Tote, Minambres, Ruben. Booked: Pavsn, Helguera.
Referee: U Meier (Switzerland).
