Rome, Mar 23: AC Milan moved back into the series A title race by beating league-leader Juventus 2-1 last night in a match that Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti had described as a "must-win" game.
Former Juventus player Filippo Inzaghi scored the match-winner for Milan in the 25th minute after Juventus' Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved had made it 1-1 at the 10-minute mark. Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko opened the scoring just four minutes in at a sold-out San Siro.
The victory moved Milan within five points of its Turin rival. Second-place Inter Milan trails Juve by three points and can draw even with a win at Udinese tonight.
"This victory revives us," Ancelotti said. "It was important to reduce the gap. Eight points were too much with respect to what we're really worth. But now we'll continue to hope."
Inzaghi's goal gave him 14 for the season, second only to Christian Vieri's league-leading total of 23 for city rival Inter Milan.



Involved in a tight encounter with Juve goalkeeper Gianlugi Buffon, Inzaghi managed to direct the ball through the keeper's legs to restore Milan's lead. Three minutes earlier, Inzaghi shot wide when the ball came off his foot slightly off-kilter.



Nedved's ninth score of the season came off a blistering free kick that bounced in off Milan's Brazilian 'keeper Dida. The ball may have been slightly deflected by Juve's Croatian defender Igor Tudor, although the speed of the ball made it hard to tell.


Bureau Report