Tough and rumble at the San Siro, a skillful and physical game decided by a simple tap in miss; all this against a backdrop of woeful refereeing; Fiorentina get a point with a 1-1 draw in Milan. 

 

San Siro, a majestic stadium but not filled up due to the Monday kick off; Milan having won the European Super Cup on Friday.  The first big crunch match of the season, two teams with valid Scudetto aspirations meeting. 

 

Anchelotti fielded a strong side after the Friday win against Sevilla, the Viola one of this years fancied teams; Dida stayed in goal with a back four of Oddo, Nesta, Kaladze and Jankulovski; the experienced deep midfield of Gattuso, Pirlo and Ambrosini supported Kaka and Seedorf who play further forward with Gilardino at the point of attack. 

 

Prandelli fielded a strong side also, Frey; likely to get his France call up; in goal; the back four was Ujfalusi, Dainelli, Gamberini and Pasqual; two lines of three started with Donadel, Liverani; creating attacks; and Gobbi then Santana, Pazzini and Mutu. 

 

Fiorentina start brightly, Mutu being key to pressure applied down the left flank, the Romanian gets on the end of a Pasqual cross but heads weakly at Dida. 

Milan's first attack yields a poor Pirlo free kick, the 'DaVinci of football' gets a better second ball in but Fiorentina clear and break quickly; Mutu finding the run of Santana but the Argentinean runs into the staunch Georgian defender Kaladze. 

La Viola pressure early; Santana firing high and wide; Liverani firing a free kick at the Rossoneri wall and Mutu seeing his attempted pass to Pazzini cut out by Dida. 

Milan; starting to overpower the midfield get forward but Gilardino's touch is poor and Fiore clear, the next attack is much better; Ambrosini brings it from the halfway line finds Seedorf who sees the overlapping run of Jankulovski, his cross from the left is headed on by Ambrosini and Kaka fires the ball back into the danger area, Gilardino turns and scoops the ball goal wards but a diving Frey tips the ball with his left hand then scoops it clear with his right. 

Fiorentina are put under pressure, Dianelli looking poor against Gilardino.  The visitors respond with attacks from Pazzini, Liverani and Mutu; then a Milan break sees a great ball from Seedorf slip past Gilardino. 

The ball is flying around as are the tackles; Milan's Snarling Dog has Mutu's number and has fouled him half a dozen times so far. 

Pirlo shows his class with a neat ball forward, Kaladze crosses for Ambrosini but he is tripped by Dainelli in the area; Kaka converts the penalty kick for his third goal of the season. 

Mutu gets a nice dig back at Gattuso and the referee has words. 

Kaka fires wide off Pirlo and Gilardino; Oddo combines with Seedorf on the right but delivers a poor cross; Pazzini is offside after good work from Mutu and Santana; then both Gilardino and Pazzini can't convert chances; Pirlo finds Kaka at the far post, the ball back is a nice height for Seedorf but the Dutchman fires well wide; Ambrosini steals the ball from Liverani and plays in Gilardino, his first touch is poor and he loses possession. 

 

Half time sees no changes for either side. 

 

The second half starts with leftovers from the first, Gattuso fouling Mutu for a seventh time. 

Milan have taken their foot of the juice, content to dominate and hold the midfield they look to stifle Fiorentina, the visitors look to their skill players; Mutu and Liverani; to create something but still work hard for the ball. 
La Viola's persistence pays dividends as the hour draws near, Liverani on the left plays in Pasqual, his cross his poked forward back into danger by Ambrosini; Santana beats Nesta to the ball and executes a cute trick to gain half a yard on the veteran defender, he crosses from the byline to an open Mutu who heads past a flailing Dida at the back stick. 

Milan comes out attacking but seems a tad ponderous; Oddo wins a corner kick and the player who has the final shot is Gattuso. 

Both coaches make changes, Vieri and Semiolo coming on for Fiorentina and Cafu making an appearance for Milan. 

Seedorf, Milan's most industrious player; wins a corner kick which Fiorentina scramble clear, eventually.  Kaka finds space inside for a shot; he delivers the ball with pace and power; Frey unsure of his near post touches the shot even further wide and out for a corner. 

Vieri gets on the end of Liverani pass Fiorentina count ad fires across Dida, just wide. 

Vieri wins a header under pressure from Kaladze but sees the referee indicate a Milan free kick; then Gobbi hacks Pirlo but play goes on. 

Milan's chance at an equalizer comes and goes, Ambrosini cuts between two Viola and players an inch perfect ball inside; Inzaghi is alone, eight yards out with an open goal in front of him and can't connect with the ball. 

Fiorentina sit back looking for a valuable away point but for all their possession and endeavour Milan can't break them down; Cafu fires a shot high and wide. 

Quick breaks threaten a winner for Fiorentina; a three on two develops and the ball is played wide to Semiolo, his cross reaches Vieri; through Nesta; at the far post but the shot flies wide; Gattuso bails out Cafu for a corner kick and Dida palms away the corner kick and Nesta tackles Vieri well in the area. 

A Cafu cross is easily cleared by Fiorentina, Mutu skins Kaladze and cuts the ball inside for Vieri, no shot from the veteran but a neat ball out to Semiolo who plays a quick ball back inside for Kuzmanovic, Dida is statuesque but the ball comes back off the post, after the ball is played in Kuzmanovic is hewn down by Kaladze; Milan eventually clear an as it goes up field Kaka, Gattuso, Liverani all get shirty as tempers flair; Gattuso and Liverani get carded, the Viola for an elbow and the Rossoneri for mouthing off. 

A capricious finish sees a Semiolo cross cleared; a Pirlo cross taken from the head of Inzaghi by Frey; A Dida save off Vieri; good defending as Dainelli holds off Inzaghi; a poor Pirlo free kick and a late howler from the referee to gift Milan a late free kick. 

Frenetic but the score remains the same.  

 

Great away point, they could have won but could just have easily lost.  Overcome in midfield but not overawed La Viola fought back for an equalizer, Santana looks good; Liverani has great vision, Mutu is class; Vieri an Pazzini both came close, the defence held mostly firm and Frey made two quality saves. 

 

Should have gotten all three points, terrible miss from Super Pippo!  The Rossoneri tired late in the game and their substitutions; notably Cafu and Emerson don't have the punch they once did.  Kaka looked wooden at times but Seedorf looks good, Pirlo creates problems and they have their Snarling Dog. 

 

Nice to see the English don't have a monopoly on poor refereeing.  Farina was cack. 

Gattuso kept hacking away at Mutu; seven times in all; yet didn't see yellow; Semiolo cleanly tackles Pirlo and Farina gives Milan a free kick; Ujfalusi wins ball from Seedorf, Milan get free kick; Kuzmanovic is taken out by Kaladze and doesn't get a penalty kick; Gobbi scythes down Pirlo and play goes on; Kaladze shoulder charges Vieri, doesn't get any of the ball and the whistle goes for Milan and Inzaghi dives late on and wins a free kick not a yellow. 

Farina did spot the Milan penalty and quickly dealt with the handbags late on but he let too many fouls go unpunished. 

 

AC Milan:-

Dida

Oddo (Cafu 61)

Nesta

Kaladze

Jankulovski

Gattuso

Pirlo

Ambrosini (Emerson 76)

Kaka

Seedorf

Gilardino (Inzaghi 65)

 

Goals:-

Kaka 26 (P)

 

 

Fiorentina:-

Frey

Ujfalusi

Dianelli

Gamberini

Pasqual

Donadel (Kuzmanovic 57)

Livrani

Gobbi

Santana (Semiolo 62)

Pazzini (Vieri 62)

Mutu

 

Goals:-

Mutu 55

 

Referee:-

Stefano Farina