Tim Trophy: Milan Defeat Juve On Penalties After Entertaining Draw

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Clarence Seedorf, Milan (Foto Grazia Neri)

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Milan faced Juventus at the Olympic stadium of Turin in the first of the three 45-minute matches of the Tim Trophy, a traditional appointment of the Italian pre-season summer period.

After a bright start to the game by the Rossoneri, Clarence Seedorf opened the score for Milan in the sixth minute with a thunderbolt of a shot that was tipped on the crossbar by Gigi Buffon, but he didn't do enough to keep it out.

Just a minute later, though, Juve responded with a short-range tap-in by David Trezeguet on a cross by Marco Marchionni that eluded both Kakha Kaladze and goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac.

In the 11th minute, Marchionni gave the Bianconeri the lead with a precise header on a right-wing cross that left Kalac without a chance.

Two minutes later, the insecure-looking Kaladze had a chance to make amends for his defensive lapse earlier on, but he fired the ball over the bar from close range on a cross by Cristian Brocchi from the right.

In the 23rd minute Marek Jankulovski fired a low long-range shot that Buffon managed to keep out with some trouble before the Juve defence cleared the ball.

The Czech full back tested the Italian number one again in the 32nd minute with a curling shot from the edge of the area that was tipped away for a corner by the goalkeeper.

In the 39th minute, Juventus veteran Pavel Nedved had a chance to extend his team's lead but his shot from the edge of the area went just wide of the goal after taking a deflection off Gianluca Zambrotta, who was whistled by the Juve fans throughout the match.

Out of nothing, Milan found a stunning equaliser, once again through Seedorf, who controlled the ball on a corner kick move and fired it under the crossbar from just inside the area (41’).

Pirlo came close with a free kick a minute before the end, but the game remained level and thus went to penalties. Milan turned out to be the victors as Kalac kept out Tiago's effort and Trezeguet kicked the ball over the crossbar, while the Rossoneri never missed, 18-year-old Alberto Paloschi scoring the last penalty.

In the next game the losers of this match, hosts Juventus, will face Inter in what will surely be a heated encounter. Meanwhile, Milan face Inter in the last game in what will probably be the deciding match.

These were the formations the two teams started with:

JUVENTUS: Buffon; Grygera, Chiellini, Mellberg, Molinaro; Marchionni, Sissoko, Tiago, Nedved; Trezeguet, Iaquinta.
MILAN: Kalac; Zambrotta, Bonera, Kaladze, Jankulovski; Brocchi, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf, Kakà; Paloschi.

Danilo Pochini