03/11/2002

INZAGHI AND RIVALDO ON THE SCORE SHEET

MILAN - After their two-match losing streak, Milan came back to winning ways at the San Siro where this season they have always won so far (five times considering both Serie A and Champions League). Beating 2-0 Reggina, the Rossoneri have maintained their second spot in the Serie A, just three points behind Inter.
Ancelotti's side, without banned Maldini and Pirlo who were well deputised by Costacurta and Brocchi, dominated the whole game thanks to an excellent Rui Costa who inspired the play. And just after a quarter the Portuguese awarded the spot kick, when he was brought down by Jorge Vargas in the danger area. The Chilean defender was dismissed, Rivaldo had his penalty parried by Luca Castellazzi, while Superpippo was quick to follow in and drive home the rebound for his 100th in Serie A.
After Inzaghi's opener, ten-man Reggina were hit by bad luck: Castellazzi was forced off injured due to a previous challenge with Superpippo and was replaced by Emanuele Belardi, Nakamura was replaced by Cirillo to balance the team after loosing Vargas, and Leon substained an ankle strain which prevented him to emerge after the break.
In the second half Reggina tried to get back into the game playing Bogdani, but the theme of Milan controlling the game was not to change. The Rossoneri created chances at will, but Belardi did heroics to save from Seedorf and Inzaghi shots.
In the 64th minute, however, Reggina keeper could nothing against Rivaldo's simple tap-in from a Gattuso cross to make Milan's second.
In the closing stage the Rossoneri could have twice extended their lead through Rivaldo and Serginho. Also Dida was clapped at decamping for turning a Bogdani's dangerous shot wide for a corner.

MILAN 2-0 REGGINA (1-0)
Scorers: 20’ Inzaghi, 64’ Rivaldo
MILAN (4-2-3-1): Dida; Simic, Nesta, Costacurta (73’ Laursen), Kaladze; Gattuso, Brocchi, Rui Costa (77’ Ambrosini), Seedorf (69’ Serginho); Inzaghi, Rivaldo. Coach: Ancelotti
Subs not used: Abbiati, Helveg, Tomasson, Shevchenko
REGGINA (4-4-2): Castellazzi (28’ Belardi); Jiranek, Vargas, Franceschini, Morabito; Mesto, Mozart, Paredes, Leon (46’ Bogdani); Nakamura (23’ Cirillo), Di Michele. Coach: Mutti
Subs not used: Belardi, Pierini, Cozza, Savoldi, Rastelli
Referee: De Santis from Tivoli
Booked: Kaladze (M), Paredes (R), Brocchi (M)
Sent off: 19’ Vargas
Added time: fh 5’, sh 3’

[ACMilan.com]