Amelia's Heroics Earn Milan Second Place In TIM Trophy

Milan finished the tenth annual TIM Trophy in second place today as Inter Milan claimed the trophy on penalties.

The TIM Trophy is an annual event between AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Juventus, with each side playing forty five minutes against each other in a round robin tournament.

Full time wins are worth three points, penalty shootout wins are two, and penalty losses are one.

Inter won the cup on five points to Milan's three and Juve's one.

Following the torturous forty five they suffered against Inter, Juventus were first to play the Rossoneri. Marco Amelia played fantastic in the net for Milan, stopping early strikes from both Diego and David Lanzafame before Ronaldinho received a chipped ball from Odu which he slipped around former Milan goalie Marco Storari, putting Milan up 1-0.

After another incredible stop one on one with Amauri, Juventus would level late on from Diego. Amelia recovered and again rose to the occasion in the shootout, stopping both Pepe and Amauri. Milan won the penalty shootout 4-2.

Manager Massimiliano Allegri went with an unusual looking Milan side in the second game, with the likes of Yepes, Novinic, Merkel, Bonera (who featured in the first match), Oddo, and Inzaghi (not normally starters) all featuring. Abbiati took the goal after Amelia's gem. A scoreless affair led to penalties in the match with Inter. Neither goalkeeper saw much action all game. Penalties were much the same story. Ten players stepped to the mark, five missed. Ronaldinho went for a chip penalty, only to have it hit the corner of the framework and allow Inter to claim their sixth TIM Trophy.

The club have now won twice (both on penalty kicks) this preseason to go along with two draws, a penalty loss to Inter, and a loss to Varese.

Milan return to the pitch next Sunday, August 22nd, when they take on Juventus once again, this time at the San Siro for the Luigi Berlusconi Trophy. The club then travels to Barcelona for the Gamper Trophy against the Nou Camp side.

The Serie A campaign begins August 29th against Lecce.