Football United

Milan came away from Reggina with a precious victory to keep the gap at the top of the table to two points. The Rossoneri were without the injured Andrea Pirlo so Massimo Ambrosini came into the centre of midfield while Marcos Cafu returned at right-back, leaving Paolo Maldini to partner Alessandro Nesta in the centre of defence. Andriy Shevchenko started in attack alongside Hernan Crespo.

Milan made a bright start and a long ball had Crespo racing through but goalkeeper Nicola Pavarini came out to clear the danger. Then Clarence Seedorf broke down the left flank and sent in a low cross which just evaded the incoming Crespo. On eight minutes, a late Alessandro Nesta tackle on Giandomenico Mesto produced the first yellow card of the evening. Reggina started to come into the game and on 17 minutes, Nelson Dida dived full-stretch to his left to make a one-handed save from a Giuseppe Colucci drive and was able to regain his footing to hold on to the ball as Emiliano Bonazzoli closed in. Then at the other end, Crespo hit his first-time shot wide of the post after the ball bounced around in the area.

Milan continued to create the clearer chances, with Kakhaber Kaladze receiving a neat pass from Kaka inside the area but the keeper pushed way the full-back’s near-post shot. Dida did well to get to a deep corner and punch the ball off the head of Ivan Franceschini at the back post. A slice of fortune on 39 minutes gave Milan the lead when Marco Zamboni mis-kicked a Seedorf through-ball over the head of his stranded goalkeeper and into the net. Kaka started to infuence proceedings and a wonderful run from the Brazilian to the edge of the Reggina area ended with Pavarini having to dive at Crespo’s feet to deny the second goal of the evening.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti made no changes at half time and almost immediately, Rino Gattuso drove into the area but the ball just ran away from the midfielder and out for a goal-kick. Seedorf followed that up with a snap-shot from the edge of the area which whistled past the post. Kaka received a yellow card for a tug on Mozart’s shirt and then Jaap Stam came on for Cafu as the Rossoneri looked to secure their advantage. The Dutch defender did find time to advance forward and played in a pass for Shevchenko whose angled shot was deflected over the bar. Ancelotti introduced Serginho for Crespo on 77 minutes and soon after Kaka led a three against one break from deep inside his own half but the final ball clipped the defender and Pavarini gathered. Kaka then made way for Manuel Rui Costa but Milan still had some defending to do as Dida stood firm to make a reflex save when the ball deflected off Bonazzoli’s thigh. Ambrosini was then booked as the home side pressed for the equaliser. However, the game ended with Serginho leading a five-man counter-attack but the Brazilian elected to attempt a chip which Pavarini saved.

REGGINA: Pavarini; Zamboni, De Rosa, Franceschini; Mesto (Nakamura, 59'), Paredes, Mozart (Borriello, 76'), Balestri, Tedesco, Colucci (Esteves, 84'); Bonazzoli.

MILAN: Dida; Cafu (Stam, 62'), Nesta, Maldini, Kaladze; Gattuso, Ambrosini, Seedorf; Kaka (Rui Costa, 81'); Crespo (Serginho, 76'), Shevchenko.

GOALS: 0-1, Zamboni (39'. og)

SERIE A

Pos. Team Pld Pts
1. Juventus 24 53
2. Milan 24 51
3. Internazionale 24 42
4. Udinese 24 40
5. Sampdoria 24 38