Deportivo do Italian job on Milan; Red Devils cruise

Deportivo do Italian job on Milan; Red Devils cruise
Agence France Presse

Paris, March 14: Deportivo La Coruna sent AC Milan tumbling out of the Champions League as Manchester United finally bagged their place in the quarter-finals with a 3-0 win over Sturm Graz. Deportivo’s hard-earned 1-1 draw at the San Siro spelt disaster for the footballing aristocrats of Serie A.

AC Milan’s failure to progress from Group B means no Italian team has been able to reach the quarter-finals of either European club competition this season, an embarrassing failure for a League which prides itself on being the world’s strongest.

Deportivo’s Brazilian playmaker Djalminha put the Spaniards ahead from a 73rd-minute penalty after Scottish referee Hugh Dallas penalised Milan’s Danish defender Thomas Helveg for a foul on the edge of his own area a decision furiously contested by Milan’s players and fans.

Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko equalised also from the spot after 85 minutes but the goal that Milan needed to win and qualify for the quarter-finals did not come.

Dallas further incurred the fury of the San Siro by disallowing what would have been two goals from Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko and German substitute Oliver Bierhoff. But regardless it consigned the five-times European champions, who had to win this match, to a trophy-less season while Deportivo march on.

Beleaguered Milan coach Alberto Zaccheroni, who now faces the sack, said he had not spoken to club president Silvio Berlusconi, who is currently running for Prime Minister in Italy’s elections, but added: “For three years the president has made it clear he has not agreed with the choices made by the coach. Today we did the maximum. I cannot reproach the team.”

Asked if he still felt he was still coach of Milan he replied, “Ask (Milan vice-president Adriano) Galliani.”

Berlusconi, speaking on TV, said ‘Zac’ would not be sacked yesterday. “This evening is not the time to talk about it we will see tomorrow.”

Deportivo coach Javier Irureta said: “We were surprised that Milan did not come at us more in the first half. We were in control but until we scored there were very few chances and it was a very tactical game.”

In the other group B match, Paris St Germain scored a 2-0 win over Turkish Giants Galatasaray, who had already clinched qualification for the quarter-finals. But the match was overshadowed by an eruption of violence on the terraces, which saw the players called off the pitch for 25 minutes as police moved in to restore order. Officials said 64 people were treated for injuries. UEFA were due to make a statement today. PSG secured victory thanks to two first-half goals from Christian.

At Old Trafford, Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United finally got the comfortable sort of victory their manager had been craving with an easy win over Sturm Graz.United were virtually assured of a place in the last eight even before kick-off with Sturm needing an unlikely victory by a three-goal margin to advance. Within minutes that prospect was effectively put of their reach, Nicky Butt scoring after five minutes to put his team 1-0 ahead.

Teddy Sheringham made it 2-0 on 20 minutes before captain Roy Keane completed the scoring with a goal late in the second half.

United will have to settle for second place in group A however, meaning that they face a potentially awkward quarter-final against one of the four second-phase group winners.

Manager Ferguson is nonplussed at the prospect of a difficult quarter-final however. “We got the result we expected to get and the performancewe should be getting on a more regular basis,” said Ferguson.

“It was good to see Teddy get back to scoring so all in all we’re pleased. There were some good performances, no booking, no injuries and it’s been a very good night for us.”

Asked how he would feel at facing holders Real Madrid in the last eight Ferguson replied: “We experienced that last year and I think we would do better this time.”