2007-12-04: AC Milan 1-0 Celtic, Champions League

Match Pictures | Matches:2007 – 2008 | 2007-2008 Pictures

Trivia

  • Champions League 2007-08
  • Qualifed for second round with Benfica beating Shaktar
  • We won no away games, and scored zero goals away from home
  • Kaka presented Ballon D’Or prior to match
  • Inzaghi scored to become the highest scorer in UEFA club competition history at 63 goals to date (ahead of Gerd Muller’s 62)

Review

Celtic qualified for the second stage for the second year in a row, through the back door, relying on Benfica surprising everyone and winning away v Shaktar, putting the diving Ukrainian team at the bottom of the table when most expected them to qualify earlier on.
Anyhow, as for this game, tbh not much to write home about. Celtic were poor but still held out well enough, but some of the play by AC Milan was run of the mill and they scored a good goal. Scott Brown squandered a great chance to take the lead in the game, but it was all academic, and we go through with having won again no away games.

Teams

AC Milan team:-
Kalac, Cafu, Bonera, Simic (Kaladze 29), Favalli, Gattuso, Pirlo (Brocchi 74), Ambrosini, Kaka, Seedorf (Gourcuff 69), Inzaghi.
Subs Not Used:- Fiori, Gilardino, Oddo, Aubameyang.
Goals: Inzaghi 70.

Celtic (4-5-1):-
Boruc, Caldwell, Pressley, McManus, O’Dea, Jarosik (Zurawski 78), Donati (Sno 71), Scott Brown, Hartley, McGeady, McDonald (Vennegoor of Hesselink 65).
Subs Not Used:- Mark Brown, Balde, Killen, Caddis.
Booked:- Scott Brown.

Att: 38,409.
Ref: Thomas Henning (Norway).

Articles

Pictures

KStreet

Stats

Milan Celtic
1 Goals scored 0
0 Yellow card 1
0 Red card 0
5 Shots on goal 3
10 Shots wide 4
17 Fouls committed 14
3 Corners 2
2 Offsides 2
34′ 10” Ball. Poss. (time) 25′ 11”
57% Ball. Poss. (%) 43%

Gls: Goals scored SP: Shots hitting post SC: Shots hitting bar ST: Shots on target SW: Shots wide FC: Fouls committed FS: Fouls suffered OF: Offside AS: Assist YC: Yellow cards RC: Red cards

Articles

AC Milan 1-0 Celtic

By Colin Moffat
BBC

Celtic made it into the last 16 of the Champions League, despite losing out to Filippo Inzaghi’s record-breaking goal.

The AC Milan man fired in a close-range shot on 70 minutes to become the leading scorer in Uefa competitions.

However, Benfica’s victory at Shakhtar Donetsk ensured Gordon Strachan’s side progress to the knockout phase for the second year running.

Inzaghi had earlier missed a glaring chance, while Kaka was denied a late goal by a great Evander Sno block.

Interview: Celtic’s Stephen Pressley

With the reigning European champions already guaranteed qualification and Celtic needing a point or Shakhtar to slip up, the game was very subdued for the first hour.

Playing in a half-full San Siro, the home side did not look particularly interested in breaking sweat, while Celtic also adopted a meek approach, not wanting to risk stinging their opponents into life.

HallingsaLegend

However, the pocket of travelling supporters were soon celebrating when news of Benfica’s two early goals reached the stadium.

The first shot on target at the San Siro, meanwhile, came after 38 minutes but goalkeeper Zeljiko Kalac had no trouble gathering Jiri Jarosik’s long-range effort.

Milan threatened to break the deadlock shortly before half-time with Giuseppe Favalli’s penetrating pass serving Clarence Seedorf inside the penalty area, only for the Dutch midfielder to blaze his angled shot high over the crossbar.

There was a sour note for Celtic when Scott Brown’s booking for a needless niggle at Seedorf earned the midfielder a ban for the next match in the tournament.

Brown’s evening got worse when he found himself in space behind the dozing home defence and slashed his shot horribly wide of the target.

On the hour, there was a sudden increase in pace and Gary Caldwell did well to block a Seedorf drive before Inzaghi’s incredible miss.

Favalli dinked a cross right on to the head of his team-mate inside the six-yard box but the veteran striker skewed his header straight into the arms of a surprised Artur Boruc, who was stranded by his near post.

It was a miss that would have embarrassed any Sunday pub league player.

But a few minutes later, the international star was celebrating surpassing Gerd Muller as the top scorer in Uefa competitions, taking his tally to 63.

Cafu raced into the penalty box and cut the ball back for Inzaghi to slip a low shot home from five yards.

Boruc then had to get down smartly to keep out a rasping shot from substitute Cristian Brocchi, while Kalac had his palms warmed by Brown’s powerful strike.

Kaka broke clear in the final minute and rounded Boruc but Sno got back to make a great saving tackle.

AC Milan: Kalac, Cafu, Bonera, Simic (Kaladze 29), Favalli, Gattuso, Pirlo (Brocchi 74), Ambrosini, Kaka, Seedorf (Gourcuff 69), Inzaghi.
Subs Not Used: Fiori, Gilardino, Oddo, Aubameyang.

Goals: Inzaghi 70.

Celtic: Boruc, Caldwell, Pressley, McManus, O’Dea, Jarosik (Zurawski 78), Donati (Sno 71), Scott Brown, Hartley, McGeady, McDonald (Vennegoor of Hesselink 65).
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Balde, Killen, Caddis.

Booked: Scott Brown.

Att: 38,409.

Ref: Thomas Henning (Norway).

Milan star Seedorf praises Celtic

AC Milan’s Dutch international midfielder Clarence Seedorf has told Celtic’s players to believe in their own ability – and claimed anything can happen now the club are in the last-16 of the Champions League.

The 31-year-old, who counts Internazionale and Real Madrid among his former clubs, has won the Champions League four times and suggested Europe’s premier club competition is better off for having Celtic in the knock-out stages.

The Sunday Mail quoted Seedorf as saying: “Celtic are always a credit, they play with their hearts. I’m happy they have qualified, they deserve it. I wish them luck in the next stage.

“They always give us a hard game, particularly in Glasgow. They have made it to the last-16 and anything can happen now. There are better teams still in the competition but Celtic must have faith in their own ability.”

Seedorf notched up his 100th Champions League appearance when he played for AC Milan against Celtic at the San Siro last week. He has won the competition with Ajax, Real Madrid and twice with his current employers.