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| Coppa: Pandev eliminates Milan |
Wednesday 3 December, 2008 |
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Lazio knocked 10-man Milan out of the Coppa Italia after a 2-1 extra time win, as Mauro Zarate and Goran Pandev cancelled out Andriy Shevchenko's strike. The Rossoneri had been a man down since Emerson's red card on 66 minutes.
These two sides needed a confidence booster and hoped the Coppa Italia knockout round would provide it at a foggy and freezing San Siro. Victory would send them through to the quarter-finals against either Fiorentina or Torino.
Andriy Shevchenko had a rare start with Kaka and Ronaldinho, while Marco Borriello, Gennaro Gattuso, Paolo Maldini and Andrea Pirlo were out. Goran Pandev returned from an injury niggle to lead the Lazio line, but Mauro Zarate was rested ahead of Saturday's Serie A clash with Inter.
Nelson Dida smothered a long-range Cristian Ledesma snapshot, but Milan should have taken the lead on 19 minutes. A wonderful long Clarence Seedorf pass sent Sheva clear and he shrugged off a defender, but fired straight at the goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation. He also sent Giuseppe Favalli's assist wide from six yards and sent a third opportunity high and wide.
Lazio also threatened, with Lichtsteiner drilling just wide from the D and Dida having his palms stung by an Aleksandr Kolarov free kick. The Biancocelesti were forced into a change with Mourad Meghni replacing Lichtsteiner before the break, but still went very close to an opener with the final kick of the first half, as Dida performed a fingertip save to push Goran Pandev's rising strike out of the near top corner.
Dida was again called into a great intervention on 54 minutes, as he got down very quickly to palm Pandev's spin off the line from nine yards. The turning point came on 66 minutes when Emerson clattered into Rozehnal for a second bookable offence.
The 10 men of Milan immediately had to defend, as Dida flew to parry a fantastic Kolarov free kick that sweved viciously around the defensive wall. Nonetheless, Ronaldinho tried to set up Sheva and the Ukrainian again was not sharp enough to make the most of that pass.
Ronaldinho was fortunate not to follow Emerson, as he appeared to elbow Rozehnal. It is possible video evidence will be used against him for this incident. Zarate replaced Rocchi as Lazio pushed for the win and Dida pushed Pasquale Foggia's effort over from a tight angle.
Incredibly, it was Shevchenko who changed the game with a stunning goal. He gathered in midfield, cut back to avoid a challenge and smacked an extraordinary left-foot angled drive right into the far bottom corner where Muslera simply could not reach! The former Chelsea striker seemed to be falling over, so was at full stretch to get power behind that shot.
Dida managed to smother a fierce De Silvestri daisy-cutter from a poorly cleared corner, but he was eventually beaten from the penalty spot by substitute Zarate after Favalli brought down Pandev. It was the Argentine's first goal since November 9 and forces extra time.
120 seconds into extra time when Lazio took the lead for the first time. Zarate's brilliant first touch brought down a chipped pass over the defence and cut out Marek Jankulovski at the same time, then his shot was parried, so was a follow-up, until Pandev finally placed the ball under the bar from close range.
Ronaldinho led the fightback and a stunning free kick split the wall and cracked against the upright with Muslera beaten. Dida stood his ground to deny Foggia from point-blank range, as the Rossoneri ran out of steam.
Milan 1-2 Lazio
Scorers: Shevchenko 76 (M), Zarate pen 87 (L), Pandev 92 (L)
Sent off: Emerson 66 (M)
Milan: Dida; Antonini (Jankulovski 76), Senderos, Kaladze, Favalli; Flamini, Emerson, Seedorf (Zambrotta 73), Kaka, Ronaldinho; Shevchenko (Cardacio 85)
Lazio: Muslera; Lichtsteiner (Meghni 42), Rozehnal, Diakitè, Kolarov; Dabo (Mauri 85), Ledesma, De Silvestri; Foggia; Rocchi (Zarate 72), Pandev
Ref: Ayroldi
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