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AC Milan, Villarreal reach semifinals
A late goal helped AC Milan reach Champions League semis, while Inter Milan failed to stop Juan Roman Riquelme-inspired Villarreal.
AC Milan needed a late goal from Filippo Inzaghi to reach the semifinals of the Champions league on Tuesday. Inter Milan needed a goal from anyone.
Inzaghi knocked in the deciding goal in the 88th minute to help Milan beat Lyon 3-1 and advance 3-1 on aggregate, the third time in four years they have reached the semifinals.
"With the talent we have in attack, we always believe we have a chance," Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "I agree we didn't play a great game, but we had a small advantage playing at home and I think that helped."
Inter were eliminated on away goals after losing to Villarreal 1-0. The two-leg series finished 2-2 on aggregate. In the semifinals, Milan will face either Benfica or FC Barcelona. Barcelona hosts Benfica on Wednesday after a 0-0 draw in the first leg last week.
Villarreal will play either Italian champion Juventus or Arsenal. The English team heads to Turin leading 2-0 from the first leg.
"This isn't a miracle or a dream. It's based on hard work and belief," Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini said. Inzaghi also scored the first goal of the match at the San Siro in the 25th minute, heading in a perfect cross from Clarence Seedorf.
"He has a lot of experience in games like these," Ancelotti said. "He's always able to find the needed motivation, from the first to the last minute."
Mahamadou Diarra equalized for Lyon in the 31st minute, heading in a deflection off a teammate after Juninho's free kick, and it looked as if the four-time French league champions were going to advance.
With only two minutes to go, however, Andriy Shevchenko took a shot that Lyon goalkeeper Gregory Coupet tipped. The ball rolled off Coupet's fingers and hit the far post, then rolled across the goalline and hit the near post.
Inzaghi was in the middle and poked the ball into the net. "The key was our heart, determination," Inzaghi said.
"We were a bit nervous in the second half because minutes were passing and we were close to elimination. At one moment we thought we were out. Then I had some good luck on that rebound from the post."
Shevchenko added a third goal in injury time, giving the Shevchenko-Inzaghi duo 108 goals in European competition - the most in history.
Shevchenko has scored a competition-best nine this season, and he's tied with former Benfica striker Eusebio with 56 goals for his career in Europe - second all-time behind Bayern Munich's Gerd Mueller.
Inzaghi now has four goals in five Champions League matches this season, and 52 in 80 career European matches.
"I can't be too disappointed because we played well, maybe better than our opponent," Lyon coach Gerard Houllier said. "It all happened in the last few minutes. We had the win in our pocket."
At the other end, Milan goalkeeper Dida didn't have an easy night in goal. The Brazilian shanked a clearing attempt in the 18th that nearly led to a goal by Fred.
A minute later, Kakha Kaladze's error resulted in a long shot by Florent Malouda that went high. Milan, a six-time European Cup champion, reached the final last year but lost to Liverpool on penalties. Lyon was eliminated in the quarterfinals for the third straight season.
Villarreal got their winning goal from Rodolfo Arruabarrena in the 58th minute. The defender headed a free kick from Juan Roman Riquelme past Inter goalkeeper Francesco Toldo.
"I was convinced we would beat Inter," Pellegrini said. "The first half was balanced but in the second perhaps we deserved more than one goal."
Riquelme, one of 14 South Americans to start the match, shook off a series of attempted tackles before sending the ball over the crossbar in the 34th.
Toldo was again tested in the second half, first in the 47th when he tipped a shot by striker Jose Mari Romero over the bar, and then when he caught Riquelme's shot five minutes later.
Diego Forlan almost doubled Villarreal's lead in the 61st with a rising shot that was again pushed over the bar by Toldo.
Inter substitute Obafemi Martins thought he should have gotten a penalty in the 89th when midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi appeared to tug at his shirt, but the appeal was denied.
"We did little to score and paid little attention in defense," Inter coach Roberto Mancini.
Villarreal, who are in their seventh season in the Spanish first division, are the sixth team from the country to reach the semifinals of Europe's top club competition. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Deportivo La Coruna and Atletico Madrid are the others.
