Written by: AFP
MILAN, Italy, (AFP) - Doubles from Alberto Gilardino and Clarence Seedorf helped ease the sense of crisis enveloping AC Milan as the European titleholders beat Shakhtar Donetsk 4-1 in the Champions League here on Wednesday.
This was only Milan's second home victory this season in any competition and it lifted them up from third to head Group D on goal difference from Shakhtar.
One familiar name missing from the AC Milan teamsheet was Dida, the Brazilian international goalkeeper who was handed a two match ban for his theatrical collapse after a brush with a spectator in their 2-1 loss to Celtic at Hampden Park.
Australian Zeljko Kalac replaced Dida for this must win game if Milan were to put the wheels back on their Champions League defence bid.
Italian World Cup winner Gilardino gave the unsettled San Siro fans the perfect start, heading in Andrea Pirlo's sixth minute corner to the far post.
Kaka, favourite in most quarters to be named FIFA's World footballer Of The Year, had an effort saved by Andriy Pyatov keeping goal for Shakhtar, but two minutes later Gilardino had put AC Milan further ahead.
This time it was the turn of Seedorf to fill the role of provider, sending the ball in from the left for Gilardino to head in to leave Shakhtar with an uphill task of taking anything out of the game.
Shakhtar manager Mircea Lucescu then made the first substitution in defence, bringing on Tomas Hubschman for Alexandr Kucher.
The Ukrainian visitors came out for the second half in feisty mood and in the 51st minute they were rewarded by the quick thinking of striker Cristiano Lucarelli, back in Italy for the first time since leaving Serie A side Livorno in the summer.
Kalac, proving an able replacement to Dida, was up to saving Brandao's shot after a fluffed clearance from Milan defender Massimo Oddo but the ball was deflected into the path of Lucarelli who volleyed into an empty net.
But Seedorf then extinguished Shakhtar's hopes of drawing level when killing off the tie with his own double in the 63rd and 69th minutes.
His first goal, a pinpoint left-footed volley, came off a corner from Pirlo and the second, a fine 45-metre volley after a spineless Kalac punch.
MILAN, Italy, (AFP) - Doubles from Alberto Gilardino and Clarence Seedorf helped ease the sense of crisis enveloping AC Milan as the European titleholders beat Shakhtar Donetsk 4-1 in the Champions League here on Wednesday.
This was only Milan's second home victory this season in any competition and it lifted them up from third to head Group D on goal difference from Shakhtar.
One familiar name missing from the AC Milan teamsheet was Dida, the Brazilian international goalkeeper who was handed a two match ban for his theatrical collapse after a brush with a spectator in their 2-1 loss to Celtic at Hampden Park.
Australian Zeljko Kalac replaced Dida for this must win game if Milan were to put the wheels back on their Champions League defence bid.
Italian World Cup winner Gilardino gave the unsettled San Siro fans the perfect start, heading in Andrea Pirlo's sixth minute corner to the far post.
Kaka, favourite in most quarters to be named FIFA's World footballer Of The Year, had an effort saved by Andriy Pyatov keeping goal for Shakhtar, but two minutes later Gilardino had put AC Milan further ahead.
This time it was the turn of Seedorf to fill the role of provider, sending the ball in from the left for Gilardino to head in to leave Shakhtar with an uphill task of taking anything out of the game.
Shakhtar manager Mircea Lucescu then made the first substitution in defence, bringing on Tomas Hubschman for Alexandr Kucher.
The Ukrainian visitors came out for the second half in feisty mood and in the 51st minute they were rewarded by the quick thinking of striker Cristiano Lucarelli, back in Italy for the first time since leaving Serie A side Livorno in the summer.
Kalac, proving an able replacement to Dida, was up to saving Brandao's shot after a fluffed clearance from Milan defender Massimo Oddo but the ball was deflected into the path of Lucarelli who volleyed into an empty net.
But Seedorf then extinguished Shakhtar's hopes of drawing level when killing off the tie with his own double in the 63rd and 69th minutes.
His first goal, a pinpoint left-footed volley, came off a corner from Pirlo and the second, a fine 45-metre volley after a spineless Kalac punch.
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