Milan 3-1 Parma
Another weekend, another victory for AC Milan. This time Parma were the victims, as they fell to a 3-1 defeat and were thoroughly outclassed by the league leaders.
A pair of goals from Jon Dahl Tomasson and one from Shevchenko proved to be more than enough to give the home side all three points.
Gilardino pulled one back for Parma late in the match, but it was too little too late as Milan cruised to a routine victory.
Milan dominated possession in the early going but failed to turn their dominance into goals and it was Parma who got the first quality scoring chance.
Barone hit the woodwork in the 23rd minute with a vicious strike from the edge of the area.
But Parma's counter attacking style was less effective as the match progressed and Milan began to pick apart their defence.
Milan were unlucky not to score in the 30th minute after Kaka sent the entire Parma defence the wrong way with a clever back heel that found Shevchenko, the Ukrainian's powerful drive skidded across the face of goal and Tomasson missed a simple tap in.
But Tomasson would make up for this easy miss with a far more difficult goal two minutes later.
Pancaro found space on the right and crossed in for Tomasson who headed past goalkeeper Frey to give Milan a 1-0 lead.
Pirlo's in swinging cross from a free kick nearly went straight into the net after several players failed to get a touch on the ball, but in the end it curled wide of Frey's left hand post.
Milan opened the second half with the same attacking pressure that they ended the first with.
They looked odds-on to score in the 50th minute as Kaka found space inside the box but provided a disappointing pass across the face of the goalmouth that failed to find no one.
Kaka would redeem himself just two minutes later as this time he left Saric for dead down the right of the pitch and nutmeged Cannavaro with a low cross, leaving Tomasson with a simple tap in.
It was exhibition stuff from this point on as Milan began to turn on their passing flair and Parma were seemingly admitting defeat and did very little pressing.
Milan made it 3-0 after Tomasson latched onto a pass from Seedorf and unselfishly passed up the chance for a hat-trick and passed it across to Shevchenko who was left with a simple tap in.
Kaka was given a well-deserved rest in the 69th minute as he was subbed off for Rui Costa as manager Ancelotti will want to start the Brazilian ace against Deportivo in Champions League next week.
Gilardino scored his 12th goal of the season against the run of play after he fought off substitute Laursen and knocked it past did with just under 10 minutes remaining.
Tomasson appeared to score his hat-trick in the 88th minute after a nice combination between Rui Costa and Serginho but the goal was ruled out after the Danish striker was adjudged to be pulling a defender's shirt.
In the end, it was irrelevant as Milan won comfortably 3-1.
MILAN-PARMA 3-1
Goalscorers: 33' Tomasson, 52' Tomasson, 65' Shevchenko, 82' Gilardino
MILAN: Dida; Cafu, Costacurta, Maldini (80' Laursen), Pancaro; Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf ; Kakà (70' Rui Costa), Shevchenko (74' Serginho), Tomasson
PARMA: Frey; Castellini, Ferrari, Cannavaro, Seric (63' Potenza); Barone (66' Zicu), Blasi; Marchionni, Carbone, Bresciano, Gilardino
Source: acmilan.it, soccerage.com
