AC Milan And Bayern Munich Draw

If the other Quarter Final First Leg played at PSV was a somewhat one-sided affair, this game at the San Siro certainly wasn’t. Bayern came from behind twice and Daniel van Buyten’s strike deep into injury time leave Bayern Munich, at least for me, just as favourites to progress against AC Milan to play either Man Utd or Roma in the Semi-Final.

There can’t be too much argument that Andrea Pirlo’s 40th-minute header gave Milan a deserved lead at half-time. But Van Buyten turned in from close range to draw Bayern level and score a crucial away goal with only 12 minutes left.

However, the real drama was only just about to start. Kaka put Milan back in front from the penalty spot after a very harsh decision after he was wrongly adjudged to have been fouled by Lucio, the Brazilian defender. Replays cleared showed that Lucio’s tackle was absolutely perfect. However, Van Buyten pooped up again with almost the very last kick of the game to beat Dido at the near post to make it 2 - 2.

In the other goal, Bayern turned to their youngster Michael Rensing to deputise for the vastly-experienced Oliver Kahn, who was suspended. Rensing did not let his coach Ottmar Hitzfeld down as he produced a string of world-class saves as Milan dominated the opening half.

Milan threatened as early as the second minute, when Clarence Seedorf was only inches away from connecting with Marek Jankulovski’s cross at the far post. Then Ambrosini held his head in disbelief as Rensing turned away his point-blank header from Massimo Oddo’s corner when he looked a certainty to score.

Rensing wasn’t finished though as he then produced arguably an even more sensational save from Gilardino 10 minutes before half time. He somehow clawed away a header from only six yards as Bayern were undone by another excellent Oddo cross.

You couldn’t really argue that Milan did deserved to be ahead, and even Rensing’s excellent defence was unable to stop Milan finally taking the lead after 40 minutes.

Another Oddo cross found Andrea Pirlo at the far post, and his header looped beyond a slightly advanced Rensing.

It was a similar story of Milan dominating in the second half as Gilardino’s lob was ruled out for offside. Then Kaka failed to connect with Jankulovski’s cross when the merest of touches would surely have brought Milan a second and deserved goal.

But Milan’s failure to add the second was punished with only 12 minutes left when Hasan Salihamidzic’s cross was headed across the face of goal by Claudio Pizarro and Van Buyten turned past Dida from close range.

But thanks to that unbelievable penalty decision by referee Yuri Baskakov, Milan were back in front after only 6 minutes and with only six minutes left in the game.

Bayern were rightly furious with the penalty decision, how costly could that decision ultimately prove to be, but justice was slightly restored when, with only seconds left, Van Buyten flashed an angled drive past Dida after Milan failed to clear a long ball into the box. Dida should have done better. To be beaten inside your near post is never good.

It will be interesting to see which mistake, that Dida one at his near post or the referee’s penalty decision, that proves to be the defining moment in the second leg of this well balanced and excellent Champions League Quarter Final.

The winners of Man Utd and Roma await! And I for one, can’t wait!

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Many thanks
Rik