Skip to main content
CNN.com International
The Web    CNN.com      Powered by
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ON TV
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Football

Crespo and Kaka inspire AC Milan


story.crespo1.afp.jpg
Crespo celebrates after helping Milan book a slot in the next stage

MILAN, Italy (Reuters) -- Argentine striker Hernan Crespo and Brazilian Kaka scored twice each as AC Milan booked their place in the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 4-0 win over Ukrainians Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday.

The result means six-times European champions Milan are top of Group F on 12 points while second-placed Barcelona are also through to the next stage after they drew 1-1 at home to Celtic.

Milan had struggled in the first half against a determined Donetsk who must now hope they can take third place and enter the UEFA Cup.

Kaka broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute with a header from a Cafu cross and a minute later Crespo got his first goal for Milan at the San Siro with a cool finish after Rui Costa had sent him clear on goal.

Crespo's second was a close-range tap-in after a Clarence Seedorf header had been blocked on the line and then in injury time Kaka rounded off the victory with a superb solo goal.

Barcelona saw their hopes of qualifying as group leaders fade after they were held by Celtic at the Nou Camp.

story.etoo.afp.jpg
Eto'o was on target for Barcelona but it wasn't enough to beat Celtic

The Catalans took the lead midway through the first half when African Player of the Year Samuel Eto'o drilled home from seven meters after slicing through the defense with the help of Deco and Ronaldinho.

They proceeded to manufacture a string of scoring chances in the next 15 minutes, but were unable to find their way past Celtic keeper Magnus Hedman and paid the price when John Hartson snatched an equalizer on the stroke of halftime.

Barca continued to hold the upper hand in the second half as they pinned the Scots back in their own area.

But they got little change out of the well-drilled Celtic defense.

The second half stalemate lead to Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard dubbing the tactics of his opposite number Martin O'Neill 'anti-football'.

"In the first half they played better football, they had two men up front and played a much more open game.

"But as soon as they equalised they shut up shop. I don't understand it in their position. I am happy with a draw because we go through but this was a horrible game in the second half.

"I feel sorry for the spectators but Celtic played anti-football. We tried and tried and tried, but what could we do against the Scottish wall.

"They had two lines of five players. The statistics tell the story, we had about 70 per cent of the possession," blasted the forthright but quietly spoken Dutch coach.

Rijkaard's side can only displace AC Milan from the leadership of Group F if they win their last match at Shakhtar Donetsk and the Italians lose to Celtic in Glasgow.

For Celtic, gaining their first away point in nine Champions League games means that they now move ahead of Shakhtar in the race for third place and a berth in the UEFA Cup.


Story Tools
Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time! cover
Top Stories
Trapattoni new VfB Stuttgart coach
Top Stories
EU 'crisis' after summit failure
 
 
 
 

CNN US
On CNN TV E-mail Services CNN Mobile CNN AvantGo CNNtext Ad info Preferences
SEARCH
   The Web    CNN.com     
Powered by
© 2005 Cable News Network LP, LLLP.
A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us.
external link
All external sites will open in a new browser.
CNN.com does not endorse external sites.
 Premium content icon Denotes premium content.