Honors Even Between Milan And Wolfsburg

Milan 2–2 Wolfsburg

Milan welcomed Wolfsburg to the San Siro for the final match day of the group stage in UEFA Cup action tonight. Both teams were unbeaten in the competition before this match and had already qualified for the last 32, but first place was still to be decided.

The Rossoneri were two points behind group leaders Wolfsburg, and were be looking to top them with a win at home. The hosts were without playmaker Kaka, who is struggling with a groin injury.

Wolfsburg’s Italian defenders Cristian Zaccardo and Andrea Barzagli both made names for themselves in Serie A with Palermo and they made their first returns to Italy since moving to Germany last summer.

First Half

The game got off to a slow start, with both teams looking relatively comfortable in possession. After only three minutes played, Senderos injured himself while clearing the ball. The Swiss defender seemed to have pulled a back muscle, adding to his physical problems since joining the Rossoneri on loan in the summer. In the eighth minute he was forced to leave the pitch and was replaced by Khaka Kaladze.

In the tenth minute Wolfsburg took their first crack at goal, but Gentner’s cross shot was easily parried by Dida. A minute later Milan tried to respond in kind, but Gianluca Zambrotta’s shot was not well taken and he didn’t trouble the German defence.

It wouldn’t be long before the home side got on the score sheet, and in the 15th minute a great corner from Clarence Seedorf was met be the flying Massimo Ambrosini, and his powerful header beat Benaglio and went into the back of the net.

Wolfsburg automatically reacted by pushing forward in search of an equalizer. Dzeko put in a great cross for Dejagah, but Jankulovski did well to intercept the pass. Andrea Pirlo was looking more active than he has been in recent matches, and the Rossoneri grew in confidence. The home team controlled the play for a few minutes, but around the 23rd minute the Germans began to apply more pressure.

In the 25th minute the pressure from Wolfsburg almost paid off for the visitors, as a strike from Dzeko crashed into the post and came back out into play. A few seconds later the move ended at the feet of Gentner whose shot was too central to trouble Dida. Minutes later a promising Milan counter attack was disrupted by a misplaced pass from Shevchenko, wasting a perfectly good opportunity.

The game was, for the most part, a back and forth of chances with both sides coming close to getting on the score sheet on a number of occasions.

Milan continued to show their weakness from set pieces and crosses, struggling to clear the ball and marking the German attackers very loosely. Towards the end of the half a number of opportunities fell the way of Filippo Inzaghi, with the Italian international finding himself in an offside position in more than one occasion.

The visitors displayed good confidence and passing ability in midfield with five minutes left till the break, troubling the Milan defence and forcing Dida to come out for a few catches in the air from crosses.

In the 41st minute a lovely move from Milan could not be converted, and great work between Seedorf, Shevchenko and Inzaghi ended with a powerful but inaccurate shot that skipped wide of the post. Milan kept the ball in their opponents half for the last few minutes and the referee sent the teams into the break with the Rossoneri in the lead.

Second Half

Wolfsburg began the brighter of the two sides, with the Germans looking determined to get a goal on the scoreboard to tie the match up. Dzeko caused a few early problems in attack for the home side, but the Milan defence reacted well to keep the player at bay.

On 50 minutes a great through ball from Ambrosini found Inzaghi on the run, but his difficult control put the ball too close to the keeper, and his unbalanced shot was parried by Benaglio.

Early in the second half Pirlo had be substituted with Pato, allowing Milan to play with three strikers on the pitch. In 54rd minute Wolfsburg found an equaliser against the run of play. A cross from Schafer found Zaccardo in a good position and the defender beat Dida to level matters at the San Siro.

Less than thirty seconds after the goal from the Germans, substitute Pato put the Rossoneri back in front, latching onto a pass from Inzaghi to slot the ball past the keeper and into the net for a 2-1 score line. Milan general manager Adriano Galliani has an ironic smile on his face, struggling to believe the sudden twists of the match.

The two quick goals added life to a flailing game, and both teams suddenly seemed intent on winning the match. Zambrotta and Pato made a few good runs down the right wing, causing the visitors problems and exciting the San Siro crowd. By the 65th minute Milan seemed to have control of the game, passing the ball well and creating a few chances on goal.

Two minutes later Inzaghi almost fooled the German defence, but Benaglio did very well to time his collection of the ball before Inzaghi could reach out for a shot. Both teams were aware that a single goal could easily change the complexion of the game, keeping the match alive with possibility.

In the 74th minute Pato and Inzaghi both came close to scoring, with the youngster taking on two defenders and breaking into the box before his shot was blocked, landing at the feet of Inzaghi, but the strikers attempt was also well blocked away from goal. In the 77th minute Wolfsburg wasted a chance to equalise, when a cross from Dzeko found Saglik unmarked in the box, but his header went straight at Dida and was easily saved.

Three minutes later the Germans were once again on the attack, and Dzeko almost scored after breaking through and running at the goal, but pressure from Kaladze and a save from Dida kept Wolfsburg at bay. Barely twenty seconds later the Germans scored the equaliser, after a long distance strike from Krzynowek was deflected past Dida by the wondering Saglik.

Milan applied last minute pressure in an attempt to find the winner, but they had already let it slip and were lucky not to lose the game after a last minute effort from Zdeko came close to a goal, but Dida did extremely well to save with his feet. In the end both teams had to settle for a 2-2 draw and a share of the points, leaving Wolfsburg at the top of the table, and Milan taking second.

MILAN 2–2 WOLFSBURG

GOALS: Ambrosini 15’, Pato 56’ (Milan) Zaccardo 55', Saglik 81'

MILAN: Dida, Antonini, Senderos (Kaladze 8’), Favalli, Jankulovski, Zambrotta, Pirlo (Pato 46’), Ambrosini, Seedorf, Shevchenko, Inzaghi.

WOLFSBURG: Benaglio, Hasebe (Saglik 74’), Costa, Barzagli, Schafer, Zaccardo, Josue, Dejagah, Misimovic (Alvin 84’), Gentner (Krzynowek 36’), Dzeko.

--Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com