AC Milan 5-1 Torino
AC Milan leapt above Juventus into second place in Serie A thanks to an impressive 5-1 win over Torino tonight.
Filippo Inzaghi was Milan’s hero with a hat-trick, aided twice by the vision and skill of David Beckham.
Kaka added a fourth from the penalty spot in a one-sided game before Ivan Franceschini claimed a consolation goal 10 minutes from time.
But Massimo Ambrosini restored Milan’s four-goal advantage with the last kick of the game as Carlo Ancelotti’s side joined Juve on 64 points, 10 behind runaway leaders Inter Milan.
Beckham was back in the starting XI after sitting out Milan’s last two Serie A matches and he made an immediate impact.
His free-kick was headed in by Inzaghi, but the goal was ruled out for a clear offside.
However, the same combination tore through the Torino defence with ease and regularity and there could be no doubt that Inzaghi’s second goal, from a Beckham corner, was valid in the 13th minute.
Another accurate, long ball from Beckham again found Inzaghi, whose header this time lacked the required power to cause Matteo Sereni any problems in the Torino goal.
Kaka then turned provider for Inzaghi’s next chance in the 28th minute, but again he could not get enough power on his shot, this time with his foot.
Moments later, Alexandre Pato got caught in two minds whether to shoot or play the ball square to Inzaghi after being found by Andrea Pirlo and the result was neither as his weak volley cleared the crossbar.
Inzaghi scored his second in the 37th minute with much of the credit again going to Beckham.
The England international could himself have shot from 20 yards out and that is what the Torino defence expected, but he instead lifted the ball right onto the head of Inzaghi, who simply diverted it into the top corner of Sereni’s goal.
Beckham had transformed a Milan side which had struggled to narrow wins over Lecce and Chievo in recent weeks.
There seemed to be no stopping the Rossoneri in this game and Inzaghi soon completed his hat-trick.
This time it was half-time substitute Ronaldinho who provided the assist for Milan’s number nine, who netted his 11th goal of the season, his second hat-trick, by lifting the ball delicately over a forlorn, defenceless Sereni.
Inzaghi was given a standing ovation when he was replaced by Andriy Shevchenko in the 65th minute after making his telling contribution to help lift Milan up to second place.
But there was more to come even without Inzaghi.
Ambrosini earned a penalty when he was fouled by Sereni and Kaka converted the penalty in the 68th minute.
Franceschini then grabbed a consolation for Torino with practically their first chance of the evening in the 81st minute before Ambrosini capped another perfect team move with the finish to make it 5-1 and lift Milan above Juventus into second place.
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68′ |
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90′ |
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13′ 37′ 60′ |
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Coach: C. Ancelotti |
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for Alexandre Pato 45′ |
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for F. Inzaghi 65′ |
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for P. Maldini 72′
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Torino |
*67′ |
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*53′ |
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*30′ 80′ |
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Substitute for C. Rivalta 40′ |
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for B. Džemaili 45′ |
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for M. Rubin 66′ |