AC Milan and Juventus Share Spoils at the San Siro

AC Milan hosted Juventus at a sold out San Siro for the anticipated play-off for second place in Serie A. Juventus’ collapse during the past couple of weeks combined with Milan’s brilliant run has seen the latter leap-frog the first in the standings. With Inter Milan dropping points against Chievo Verona earlier during the day it was the opportune moment for Milan to close the gap to just five points.

Eighty thousand spectators framed the intense and quick-paced game with an electrifying atmosphere. Clarence Seedorf managed to put the home up on 57 minutes after a brilliant counter attack, but had to see his lead cancelled just three minutes later by Vincenzo Iaquinta’s diving header.

A very unsatisfactory outcome for both Milan and Juve despite the warming scenes after the final whistle. With Inter's 2-2 tie against Chievo earlier in the day, they inch closer to clinching their fourth consecutive Scudetto.

First half

After a rather slow opening, the game soon started to pick up in pace. A massive whistle storm followed every time a player from the visiting side touched the ball, but that didn’t stop them from firing off an early warning shot to Milan.

On 11 minutes, Vincenzo Iaquinta headed the ball down to winger Mauro Camoranesi after a Marco Marchionni cross but the Italy-Argentinean’s half volley sailed inches over the crossbar.

Marchionni looked lively in the opening stages of the game and cut in into the area, forcing makeshift defender Mathieu Flamini into making a vital interception. The Frenchman was there just a minute later to keep the scoreline 0-0 as Iaquinta sprinted into the box.

The home side had a golden opportunity to open the scoring on 20 minutes as Clarence Seedorf floated a cross into the area. Filippo Inzaghi, who had found the net  11 occasions in his previous eight games, beat his marker Giorgio Chiellini but uncharacteristically shot the ball just over the crossbar.

Both teams were struggling to create real chances and were looking short of ideas which forced both Iaquinta and Kaká to try their luck from distance – causing the minimum of fuss for the goalkeepers of either side.

The best chance in the first half came ten minutes before the interval as the visiting side’s Christian Poulsen rounded Gianluca Zambrotta before he fired off a low drive that wizzed past Zeljko Kalac’s far post.

Milan had one more chance before the halftime break as David Beckham back heeled the ball back to Andrea Pirlo who then floated the ball to Inzaghi, but the latter’s try went across the face of goal without any of the Rossoneri players coming forward to meet the ball.

Second half

Juventus started to press forward directly after the interval. Iaquinta had been fired up during the first half and started the second in the same fashion as he muscled his way through a maze of Rossoneri players but unfortunately his shot was destined for the stands.

Inzaghi had a clear-cut chance to put Milan up the following minute after a Beckham corner and despite standing clear on goal, he was unable to fully connect with the ball which went wide of the frame.

Gianluigi Buffon went on to start another counter which saw Kalac unable to hold onto Iaquinta’s shot but Flamini was there once more to save the day before Amauri could get a foot on the loose ball.

It was an intense affair where Juventus was looking like the more dangerous of the two. Little did that matter when Seedorf put Milan one up on 57 minutes. Zambrotta intercepted Nicola Legrottaglie to start an outstanding counter attack where he released the ball to a sprinting Inzaghi who then cut back to Massimo Ambrosini but the latter’s mishit set up the Seedorf perfectly who had only the easiest of tap-ins you'll see.

The happiness was very short-lived as Juventus levelled just three minutes later. Camoranesi’s spot on cross found Iaquinta’s diving header attempt after he’d gotten past Flamini who, up until that point, had been one of the best players on the field.

The game was opening up after the equalizer as Milan were looking to reinstate their lead. Flamini tried to make ammense for his earlier mistake with a long range effort which, however, in no way caused Buffon any trouble.

Shortly after, a squabble broke out in the Juventus box as Paolo Maldini grabbed a handful of Chiellini’s shirt. Buffon acted peacekeeper as the shotstopper tried to keep the players apart. Both defenders were shown the yellow card for their actions and reactions.

The first substitute of the evening came after 67 minutes when Carlo Ancelotti decided to take off Beckham in favor of Alexandre Pato. ‘The Duck’ quickly grew into the game as he outran two Juventusdefenders to lift the ball into the area to Inzaghi, but to the disappointment of the home fans, the veteran’s volley whizzed just over the crossbar.

With fifteen minutes to go Inzaghi made way for Ronaldino while Juventus tactician Claudio Ranieri brought off both Amauri and Paolo De Ceglie to introduce Jonathan Zebina and Alessandro Del Piero. The Juve captain's appearance was No. 600 in the Juventus shirt.

Del Piero got mixed in with the action straight away and with his first touch of the ball he looked to shoot on goal but unfortunately for ‘Il Capitano he slipped at the crucial moment as Maldini cleared the ball for a corner.

Moments later Milan went on another counter attack which ended with Legrottaglie seemingly having taken Pato down in the box. The referee waved away the penalty claims and replays showed that it was a clean tackle.

With roughly five minutes to go the home side’s Giuseppe Favalli received his second yellow card for the evening – leaving Milan to finish the game with ten men. Despite being one man down Milan were pushing forward and looking threatening each time.

Milan had another penalty claim waved away when Chiellini went on a clear tackle on Ronaldinho, much to the 80.000 spectators dismay. After four additional minutes of stoppage time referee Orsato blew the final whistle as the final scoreline read 1-1.

AC Milan – Juventus 1-1

1-0 (57) Seedorf, 1-1 (60) Iaquinta

AC Milan (4-3-2-1): Kalac; Flamini, Maldini, Favalli, Zambrotta; Beckham (Pato, 67’), Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf (Senderos, 88’), Kaka, Inzaghi (Ronaldinho, 75’)

Juventus (4-4-2): Buffon; Grygera, Legrottaglie, Chiellini, De Ceglie (Zebina, 73’); Camoranesi, Poulsen, Zanetti, Marchionni; Amauri (Del Piero, 75’), Iaquinta

Sent off: Giuseppe Favalli 84 (Milan)