Congrats A.C Milan The best team lost

[Sir X]

It makes no sense in having the lion share of possesion and not doing anything with it.

[Assasin]

Talk the truth man Rafa dash it way.

Him sit Crouch pon the bench till 15 minutes to go and Crouch is the only pool man who look like him woulda score and cause some real problem.

Rafa as usual go inna big games too defensive and then have to catch up.

[Sir X]

B.S , they dominated for how long got chances and blew it.If it takes Crouch to score a goal for Gerrad , then Gerrad should be on the bench.

It was just Milans day, destiny.Rafas plan worked to a tee, contain Kaka and Seedorf and play to the weakness of Milan , problem is a deflected ball off the arm area in the 6 yard Box requires luck to be stopped .

The 2nd goal was pure class , this I fault Rafa for taking off maschi for Crouch was a gamble because the middle might be opened up and it was.

Crouch played his part well , it was all catch up from then.

[Assasin]

dominate don't spell goal. Gerrard got a chance but the forwards never looked dangerous at any stage until Crouch come on.

Rafa always go inna these games too defensive. One forward but for small teams him always play two forward.

He will never be in t he league of the great coaches if he continue doing that.

[Sir X]

Like I said >>It makes no sense in having the lion share of possesion and not doing anything with it<<

I must admit the forwards let me down. Never be in the league of great coaches ??? 2 C.L leagues title under his belt a final appearance , La liga , F.A cup Community Shield wha ...????

[Jawge]

So yuh ready fi talk to
mi now or yuh waan cool off an check mi lata? I gave an advice to fergie; I f you want to conquer europe, you must have ................

[Sir X]

Well we gave it to you

AC Milan 2-1 Liverpool

Report Reds reaction Milan reaction As it happened Latest photos Player Rater

By Phil McNulty




Inzaghi's double was enough to see of Liverpool in Athens
Pippo Inzaghi struck twice as AC Milan gained revenge for their 2005 Champions League final defeat against Liverpool with victory in Athens.

Inzaghi scored a freak opener in first-half injury time, unwittingly deflecting Andrea Pirlo's free-kick past a wrong-footed Pepe Reina.

Steven Gerrard missed a glorious chance to equalise before Inzaghi slid home a second eight minutes from time.

Dirk Kuyt pulled one back with a header with a minute left, but time ran out.

Liverpool, as expected, used Kuyt as a lone front man with captain Gerrard pushed into an advanced role.

And it was a ploy that worked well until Liverpool conceded unfortunately in the dying seconds of the first half.

606: DEBATE
For all Liverpool's huffing and puffing there was no end product

Peter

Jermaine Pennant was also prominent as Liverpool posed the greater threat, forcing a fine save from Dida after Marek Jankulovski had conceded possession.

The much-touted Brazil star Kaka was a peripheral figure early on, but he brought a comfortable save from Liverpool keeper Reina with a 20-yard drive.

Alonso then came within inches of putting Liverpool ahead after 26 minutes, sending an angled drive just wide after more poor Milan defending.

But after controlling the game, Liverpool conceded needlessly in first-half injury time.

Alonso had committed several careless fouls, and he paid the price for another infringement on Kaka 20 yards out.

Pirlo's free-kick took a crucial deflection off Inzaghi that completely wrong-footed Reina.

Liverpool struggled to exert their superiority in the early stages of the second half and Benitez made a change after 58 minutes, sending on Harry Kewell for Bolo Zenden.

Gerrard had Liverpool's best chance on 62 minutes when he was sent clear by a dreadful pass by Rino Gattuso, but his finish was weak and Dida saved.

Time was running out for Liverpool and Benitez made a second change with 13 minutes left, sending on Peter Crouch for Javier Mascherano.

As Liverpool pushed forward, they were punished by a piece of brilliance by Kaka and a trademark ruthless finish from Inzaghi.

Kaka unlocked Liverpool with a glorious pass and Inzaghi rounded Reina before scoring from an angle.

Crouch then tested Dida with a 25-yard drive as Liverpool tried to mount an unlikely recovery.

Liverpool pulled one back in the dying seconds when Daniel Agger flicked on Pennant's corner and Kuyt headed home.

But this time there was no dramatic comeback and Milan celebrated wildly.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AC Milan: Dida, Oddo, Nesta, Maldini, Jankulovski (Kaladze 79), Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini, Seedorf (Favalli 90), Kaka, Inzaghi (Gilardino 88).
Subs Not Used: Kalac, Cafu, Serginho, Brocchi.

Booked: Gattuso, Jankulovski.

Goals: Inzaghi 45, 82.

Liverpool: Reina, Finnan (Arbeloa 88), Carragher, Agger, Riise, Pennant, Alonso, Mascherano (Crouch 78), Zenden (Kewell 59), Gerrard, Kuyt.
Subs Not Used: Dudek, Hyypia, Gonzalez, Bellamy.

Booked: Mascherano, Carragher.

Goals: Kuyt 89.

Att: 74,000

Ref: Herbert Fandel (Germany).

[Sir X]

RAFA: WE DESERVED A LITTLE BIT MORE
Lee Brown in Athens 23 May 2007
Liverpool Manager reflected on his side's bitter disappointment in Athens tonight and said,"I want to say thank you to our supporters, our staff and the players because they worked really hard and deserved a little bit more."
The Reds' dreams of a sixth European triumph were dashed by two goals from Filippo Inzaghi and a late Dirk Kuyt goal proved only to have brought false hope. But Benitez was quick to congratulate the winners.

"First of all I want to say congratulations to AC Milan," said Rafa. "They are a good team. I thought in the first half we were controlling the game, going forward and creating chances. We conceded a bad goal, although every goal you concede,and the problem with this is you have to start the second half with a new idea.

"We were going forward in the second half and after we hoped to use fresh legs, but we needed to take our chances. We gave them space between the lines and they have a lot of quality. We played against a good team with good players."

We were playing well until we conceded the first goal

I am in mourning now , I will be out for awhile.....X

[Jawge]

Arite fair enough mi
wi low yuh but yuh cyaan say mi neva did a warn yuh.

[Paul Marin]

Assassin - I am just back from England and saw the game while I was there. You are on the same page as me (and about every other football pundit judging fromt he papers in England). I was in shock when Rafa took off Mascherano, the man keeping Kaka TOTALLY out of the game; Crouch should have come on earlier (at the same time as Kewell) and he should have been there for NOT XABI as suggested by others, but for Finnan. Very frustrating loss.

[Muadib]

It makes no sense in having the lion share of possesion and not doing anything with it.

The best team lost long ago.. did you miss the liverpool escape from Barcelona ?

[Tilla]

The best team lost long ago.. did you miss the liverpool escape from Barcelona ?

Mek X gwaan Ben J. A Stevie Wonder should not watch and then give comments on football.

[Mosiah]

sigh

[Ruff-Cut]

Liverpool huff & puff & woulda never blown AC Milan's house down.