Assured Milan breeze past BATE
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Xinhua, October 20, 2011
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan competes with Artyom Radkov of FC BATE Borisov during the UEFA Champions League group H match between AC Milan and FC BATE Borisov at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on October 19, 2011 in Milan, Italy. |
Thanks to goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Kevin-Prince Boateng, AC Milan comfortably beat BATE Borisov 2-0 in their European Champions league group match on Wednesday.
There was a good chance after four minutes, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic only grazed a corner and Alberto Aquilani blasted the poor clearance just over the bar.
Ibra tried to score a wonder goal moments later, his sudden screamer on the bounce from the centre-circle not far off target.
Aquilani went even closer on 11 minutes, as he was given all the time he needed from the edge of the box to pass it towards the net, thumping the base of the near post with Aleksandr Gutor rooted to the spot.
Ibrahimovic volleyed over the bar from nine yards as Antonio Cassano's searching pass found his right boot. Boateng rose to nod in a Cassano cross, but play was halted for a push on the goalkeeper.
Mark Van Bommel might've had penalty appeals for a clumsy Artyom Radkov challenge, but the referee waved play on.
Taiwo's pull-back found Aquilani for a shot straight at the BATE's keeper. Taiwo went for goal himself with a stunning volley that flashed wide from an improbable angle.
Milan almost gave a goal away on the half-hour mark, as the awful Van Bommel back-pass was straight to Renan Bressan on the edge of the box and only a desperate Christian Abbiati save denied him when one-on-one.
The Rossoneri took the hint and broke through with Ibrahimovic. Abate's cross for Aquilani was charged down, but only into the path of Ibrahimovic for a fierce low finish. It was his 25th Champions League goal.
It should've been 2-0 moments later, as Cassano and Ibra combined for the Swede to chip an angled drive across the face of goal.
Straight after the restart, Milan again risked giving away a goal when Abate's pass was intercepted in midfield, but Mateja Kezman tried to go for goal himself and was charged down by Alessandro Nesta, then Bressan fired the follow-up over the bar.
Abbiati also had to get down to fingertip a Maksim Bordachev angled drive inches past the far post.
Taiwo pulled back for Cassano in the box, but the weak shot was easily blocked by Marko Simic. Aquilani drilled wide as he slipped, but Ibrahimovic ballooned well over from just inside the area.
Robinho was introduced for Cassano and went on the counter from a BATE corner kick, but fired wide after a step-over committed Aleksandr Yurevich.
Ibrahimovic chested an Abate chipped pass, but had the volley charged down by Simic.
Milan did double their lead thanks to a stunning strike from Boateng. The Ghanaian trapped a cross-field pass with a divine first touch on the edge of the box and smacked a rocket that bounced off the underside of the bar. It was absolutely unstoppable.
The game was petering out when Philippe Mexes was given his debut in a Milan jersey, his first match since undergoing knee surgery in April.
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