Milan derby stalemate

Inter found chances hard to come by

Photos from the San Siro

AC Milan 0-0 Inter Milan

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AC Milan were held to a goalless draw by rivals Inter in the first leg of their eagerly anticipated Champions League semi-final.

Carlo Ancelotti's Milan side dominated for long periods but were unable to make their chances count, leaving the tie finely poised for the return to the San Siro next week.

As the home team AC Milan clearly felt the need to be aggressive and did much of the early running.

But Inter had their opportunities with Sergio Conceicao, Alvaro Recoba and Hernan Crespo all had chances to score what would have been a crucial away goal.

Conceicao went close twice early on, but hit the first straight at Dida and then dragged the second wide and just past the onrushing Recoba.

Inter went into the game without number one striker Christian Vieri due to injury, but in his absence Crespo and Recoba were an early danger.

Milan confident of progressing

Crespo set up his fellow South American with a delicious flick, but Recoba opted to shoot early rather than take the ball on and Dida saved.

Conceicao provided Recoba with chance number two but the Uruguayan's header lacked the power to seriously trouble Dida.

For all Milan's possession they found breaking down a resolute Inter defence an almost impossible task in the first half.

Hector Cuper side employed a meticulous offside trap that led to a growing frustration amongst the Milan attack.

After a quiet half-time Rui Costa was the inspiration behind an improved Milan side in the second half.

Milan found Inter a tough nut to crack

He was shifted into a more advanced position after the interval and it almost paid immediate dividends.

After creating space for himself on the left with some neat trickery he unleashed a long range effort that flew past Francesco Toldo's near post.

Moments later the ball fell to him on the edge of the area but his shot was deflected out for a corner by a last-ditch tackle.

Gaps started to open up in the Inter defence and Kakha Kaladze and Clarence Seedorf combined to set up Shevchenko.

But from just a few yards out he failed to get a full contact to the ball and Toldo again held.

Filippo Inzaghi fluffed his shot from a Gennaro Gattuso cross and then from a much more difficult chance he hit a sweet volley straight at the keeper.

Shevchenko had a clear run on goal after a fine pass from Costa, but he opted to square it to Inzaghi and when Inter cleared the Ukraine striker heard it from the crowd.

Gattuso tested Toldo from the edge of the box and it looked only a matter of time before Milan got the breakthrough.

But they seemed to run out of steam and Crespo could have nicked it for Inter in the dying stages.

His shot looped just wide and both sides have it all to do when the San Siro hosts part two of the 'Euro derby' next Tuesday.

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AC Milan: Dida, Costacurta, Nesta, Maldini, Kaladze, Brocchi, Gattuso, Seedorf, Rui Costa, Shevchenko, Inzaghi. Subs: Abbiati, Simic, Rivaldo, Redondo, Serginho, Tomasson, Roque Junior.

Inter Milan: Toldo, Cannavaro, Materazzi, Cordoba, Coco, Javier Zanetti, Di Biagio, Emre, Sergio Conceicao, Recoba, Crespo. Subs: Fontana, Vivas, Pasquale, Kallon, Martins, Gamarra, Guglielminpietro.

Referee: Valentin Ivanov (Russia)