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FOOTBALL

Magnificent Milan in title warning

MILAN, Italy (Reuters) -- Filippo Inzaghi struck twice as AC Milan crushed Bayern Munich 4-1 on Wednesday to go through to the Champions League quarterfinals.

Inzaghi put the Italians on their way to a 5-2 aggregate win with an eighth minute header and later put the game beyond the Germans with a second, his 50th in European club competition.

Andriy Shevchenko had missed a penalty after 22 minutes but three minutes later the Ukrainian made amends with a fine headed goal.

Bayern got back into the game in the 36th through Valerien Ismael but after the break Milan put the game beyond the Germans.

Inzaghi's second came two minutes into the second half before Kaka made it 4-1 with a confident finish.

It was an impressive display from Carlo Ancelotti's side, beaten by Liverpool in last season's final, and they are benefiting from a return to form by the prolific Inzaghi and from a renewed steel in their defence.

The six-times European champions will now hope to continue a curious record -- three previous times they have knocked Bayern out of a European tie they have gone on to win the trophy.

Milan, missing suspended midfielder Gennaro Gattuso and injured full backs Paolo Maldini and Cafu, went ahead with a goal of absolute simplicity.

Brazilian Serginho whipped in a cross from the left that found Inzaghi at the back post and he headed home to continue his rich run of scoring form which was brought seven goals in the last five Serie A games.

With Kaka confident in midfield and Serginho finding plenty of space on the left, Milan had a firm grip on the game.

They could have doubled their lead in the 24th minute when Bayern's French defender Ismael was ruled to have pulled down Inzaghi and Russian referee Valentin Ivanov pointed to the spot.

Harsh decision

It looked a harsh decision given that Inzaghi was backing into his marker and the Germans will feel justice was done when Milan's Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko side-footed the penalty wide of Oliver Kahn's right-hand post.

Within a minute Shevchenko made amends as he met a Jaap Stam cross from the byline with a perfectly angled header that flashed past Kahn to make it 2-0.

But Bayern got back into the game 10 minutes later with a helping hand from Milan's Brazilian keeper Dida.

story.inzaghi.getty.jpg
Inzaghi opens the scoring with Shevchenko lending some support

From more than 30 meters out Bayern midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger fired a free kick goalwards that Dida failed to hold and Ismael reacted quickly to drive home the loose ball.

Bayern were now one goal from going through on the away goals rule in the case of a 3-3 aggregate draw and they finished the half strongly with Dida producing an excellent reflex save to keep out a Michael Ballack header.

Milan restored their two goal lead as Ismael tried to clear a Serginho cross but instead screwed the ball to Inzaghi who headed home from close range.

Milan's Brazilian midfielder Kaka put the game beyond Bayern in the 59th minute by racing goalwards, after a superb through pass from Shevchenko, and blasting confidently past Kahn.

A Dida save from a close range effort by Claudio Pizarro was the last flicker of Bayern's doomed challenge while Milan could have added to their tally but Clarence Seedorf's shot after a fine solo run was well saved by Kahn.

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