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Trivia
- Two goals by AC Milan in the final two minutes left Celtic without a point.
Review
Chris Sutton and Didier Agathe won their fitness battle to start for Celtic, with Juninho and Momo Sylla dropping to the bench.
The breakthrough came with Kaka sending Shevchenko clear in the box and the Ukraine striker hammered the ball through the arms of the advancing Marshall.
Henri Camara lashed the ball well over from just inside the box after a clever knock-down by John Hartson.
Celtic looked more attack-minded after the break and Dida did well to hold a low drive from Camara. Celtic lost Alan Thompson to a hamstring injury after 58 minutes and he was replaced in midfield byJuninho.
Another low Camara drive was smothered by the goalkeeper before Celtic eventually got the equaliser. Varga rose above Shevchenko to head home a Petrov corner from 12 yards.
It looked like Celtic would collect their first-ever away point in the Champions League after seven matches. But Shevchenko broke clear and his low cross into the six-yard box was forced home by Inzaghi and a Pirlo free-kick deceived Marshall after striking the head of Neil Lennon.
Teams
AC Milan:-
Dida, Cafu, Nesta, Maldini, Pancaro, Gattuso (Rui Costa 86), Pirlo, Seedorf (Ambrosini 77), Kaka, Shevchenko, Tomasson (Inzaghi 77).
Subs Not Used:- Fiori, Kaladze, Costacurta, Crespo.
Goals:- Shevchenko 8, Inzaghi 89, Pirlo 90.
Celtic:- Marshall, Agathe, Varga, Balde, Valgaeren, Petrov, Lennon, Sutton, Thompson (Juninho Paulista 59), Hartson (Sylla 86), Camara.
Subs Not Used:- Douglas, Lambert, Laursen, Wallace, McGeady.
Goal:- Varga 74.
Booked:- Sutton.
Att:- 50,000.
Ref:- Gilles Veissiere (France)
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Stats
| AC Milan | Celtic | |
| 10 | Shots | 5 |
| 7 | Shots on Target | 2 |
| 7 | Fouls | 17 |
| 8 | Corners | 4 |
| 3 | Offside | 1 |
| 54% | Possession | 46% |
Articles
AC Milan 3-1 Celtic
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP F
BBC
Two goals by AC Milan in the final two minutes left Celtic without a point in Champions League Group F.
Andriy Shevchenko pounced on a Kaka through-ball to drive home from just inside the box after eight minutes.
Celtic improved after the break and got their reward when Stan Varga headed in Stilian Petrov's corner.
But substitute Filippo Inzaghi forced home a Shevchenko cross and an Andrea Pirlo free-kick deflected into the net to win it for the Italians.
Giuseppe Pancaro, Jon Dahl Tomasson and Andrea Pirlo had come into the Milan line-up instead of Kaka Kaladze, Massimo Ambrosini and Hernan Crespo.
Chris Sutton and Didier Agathe won their fitness battle to start for Celtic, with Juninho and Momo Sylla dropping to the bench.
Joos Valgaeren, filling in at left back for the injured Jackie McNamara, lost control on the edge of his own box in the opening seconds and Marshall had to tip round the post at full stretch.
The breakthrough was not delayed for long, Kaka sending Shevchenko clear in the box and the Ukraine striker hammered the ball through the arms of the advancing Marshall.
Celtic crept into the game and Shevchenko cleared a Petrov free-kick clear with Varga ready to pounce and the Slovak defender headed the resulting corner a couple of feet over the bar.
Henri Camara lashed the ball well over from just inside the box after a clever knock-down by John Hartson.
A low drive from Shevchenko was destined for the Celtic net until Bobo Balde scrambled the ball clear.
Marshall also blocked a powerful effort from Kaka after Balde had lost possession to Shevchenko.
But Celtic looked more attack-minded after the break and Dida did well to hold a low drive from Camara.
The Scottish champions lost Alan Thompson to a hamstring injury after 58 minutes and he was replaced in midfield byJuninho.
Another low Camara drive was smothered by the goalkeeper before Celtic eventually got the equaliser.
Varga rose above Shevchenko to head home a Petrov corner from 12 yards.
It looked like Celtic would collect their first-ever away point in the Champions League after seven matches.
But Shevchenko broke clear and his low cross into the six-yard box was forced home by Inzaghi and Pirlo's free-kick deceived Marshall after striking the head of Neil Lennon.
AC Milan: Dida, Cafu, Nesta, Maldini, Pancaro, Gattuso (Rui Costa 86), Pirlo, Seedorf (Ambrosini 77), Kaka, Shevchenko, Tomasson (Inzaghi 77).
Subs Not Used: Fiori, Kaladze, Costacurta, Crespo.
Goals: Shevchenko 8, Inzaghi 89, Pirlo 90.
Celtic: Marshall, Agathe, Varga, Balde, Valgaeren, Petrov, Lennon, Sutton, Thompson (Juninho Paulista 59), Hartson (Sylla 86), Camara. Subs Not Used: Douglas, Lambert, Laursen, Wallace, McGeady.
Booked: Sutton.
Goals: Varga 74.
Att: 50,000.
Ref: Gilles Veissiere (France).
Proud O'Neill stays hopeful
BBC
Proud Celtic manager Martin O'Neill insisted that his side can still qualify from Champions League Group F despite two straight defeats.
"Statistically, it is a mountain to climb," said O'Neill, whose side lost 3-1 away to AC Milan.
"But we completely dominated in the second half in the San Siro and defeat is exceptionally difficult to take.
"But, if we show the same effort and commitment, there's no reason why we can't get back into this group."
Stanislav Varga cancelled out Andriy Shevchenko's early opener for Milan before two goals in the final minutes gave the Italians, along with Barcelona, a 100% record after two games.
"We were a bit tentative in the first half, which is understandable considering we were playing against the team that won the Champions League 18 months ago," said O'Neill.
"But we deserved our equaliser and I feel for the players in the dressing-room.
"I am really proud of the team and we are not out of the competition – not by a long way.
"We might have to go to Shakhtar Donetsk and win, which is not going to be easy, but we can do it."
O'Neill praised is whole team, despite a seventh straight Champions League defeat away from home, and stressed: "Neil Lennon has gone through that as a master in midfield."
The manager added that midfielder Alan Thompson, who pulled up early in the second half, was likely to be out injured for up to five weeks with a hamstring problem.
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti also refused to rule Celtic out of the equation.
"We have a good advantage with six points, but we have got two very difficult games against Barcelona to come," he said.
"We will try not to make any calculations and try to play the games the best we possibly can. There are still four games to go and Celtic still have chances.
"Of course, they will have to exploit the games against Shakhtar. I think what Celtic have to do is win their next two matches."