MILAN, 8 March 2004 — European champions AC Milan maintained their lead at the top of Serie A with an impressive 3-1 win over Sampdoria yesterday.
Milan lead on 61 points with champions Juventus on 55 while third-placed AS Roma go into their game with Inter Milan later eight points behind the leaders .
A spectacular drive from Andrea Pirlo put Milan ahead in the 17th minute but Cristiano Doni brought the enterprising visitors level 10 minutes later. A header from Filippo Inzaghi before the break and then a well-taken goal from Brazilian Kaka in the second half ensured Carlo Ancelotti’s side’s 10th win from their last 11 league games. Lazio’s game at Bologna was postponed due to snow while on Saturday Juventus came back from two goals down to beat Brescia 3-2.
Ancelotti opted to leave Serie A’s leading goalscorer Andriy Shevchenko on the bench ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League game with Sparta Prague but in the absence of the Ukrainian, Inzaghi and Jon Dahl Tomasson reached an instant understanding in attack.
After some sparkling moves in the opening minutes, Milan went ahead through Pirlo’s 25-meter drive, which flew in off the inside of the post. While Milan were producing some lively attacking football, Sampdoria, the surprise package of the season so far, were always dangerous going forward and, in contrast to many visitors to the San Siro, were keen to play positively.
At the foot of the table winless Ancona and struggling Reggina only managed to help their relegation rivals with a 1-1 draw while Perugia picked up a useful point away to Udinese. The tie between struggling sides Lecce and Siena also finished goalless.
Smith Goal Fires Sunderland Into FA Cup Semis
In London, Striker Tommy Smith scored after 15 minutes to give Sunderland a 1-0 home win over fellow first division side Sheffield United in their FA Cup quarterfinal yesterday. Sunderland, who as a second division side memorably upset Leeds United in the 1973 final for their second victory in the competition, go into today’s semifinal draw with holders Arsenal and league champions Manchester United. First division Millwall and Tranmere Rovers of division two will replay their quarterfinal on March 17 after they drew 0-0 earlier yesterday.
Larsson Strike Gives Celtic Cup Win Over Rangers
In Glasgow, Celtic effectively ended Rangers’ season when Henrik Larsson’s 53rd-minute goal gave his side a 1-0 win in a fraught Scottish Cup quarterfinal yesterday.
In a match of high tension and few chances, Larsson’s 28th goal of the season separated the bitter Glasgow rivals to keep alive Celtic’s hopes of a league and cup double.
Celtic can now look forward to a UEFA Cup fourth round first leg at home to Barcelona on Thursday. Rangers, meanwhile, can expect to end the season without a trophy a year after completing the domestic treble. Celtic go into today’s semifinal draw with Dunfermline Atheltic, who won 3-0 at Partick Thistle on Saturday, and first division Inverness Caledonian Thistle after their 1-0 win at Motherwell.
Barcelona Record Seventh Successive League Win
In Madrid, Barcelona beat Real Mallorca 3-2 yesterday to stretch their winning run to seven matches and close to within a point of third-placed Deportivo Coruna.
Luis Garcia struck twice and Luis Enrique celebrated his return to the side with a side-foot into an empty net to put the Catalans 3-0 up with just over 30 minutes remaining.
Samuel Eto’o chipped Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes to pull a goal back in the 90th minute and Andrija Delibasic scored in the third minute of injury-time but there was no time for Mallorca to complete a comeback at the Nou Camp. Barcelona have an eight-point cushion in the fourth and final Champions League qualification slot after fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao’s surprise 4-1 defeat at home to Valladolid yesterday.
Bremen Win Restore Seven-Point Cushion
In Berlin, Werder Bremen show no sign of cracking under the pressure with a 2-0 win over 1860 Munich yesterday restoring their lead at the top of the Bundesliga back to seven points.
Bayern Munich had turned the screw with a 3-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen 24 hours earlier but Bremen responded in the best fashion taking the spoils against ten-man Munich.
1860 Munich’s Czech midfielder Roman Tyce was issued his marching orders in the 22nd minute after elbowing Frank Baumann in the mid-riff leaving the visitors with over an hour against nine outfield players.
