Milan beat Atletico of Madrid by the minimum at the Teresa Herrera Trophy (0-1). Javier Aguirre’s players crashed into the rival defence several times and, although they had numerous occasions to scored, but they didn’t achieve to beat Dida who seemed impassable.

Torres confirmed his excellent physical shape he showed in the International Tournament of Shangai. He fought all the balls and he faced up every time the hard game of the Italian defence, not usual of a preseason matches. Before the difficulties in the creation of the red and white team the ‘9’ delayed his position and he acted the entire match as a second forward. He took advantage of his speed from both sides of the field and at the front of the area, from where he made dangerous passes to the area.

Atletico Monopolize the danger occasions during the first half. Pernia brought up his left in two shots, and Maxi tried it also, although Dida covered very well his goal. The Italian team took a long time to take the initiative, although they achieved to get closer to Leo Franco’s area at 28’, but Perea was able to clear to corner when Gourcuff was getting it to the shot. Torres reacted to this action with an excellent movement in which, after getting away from the four defenders; he sent a center to the area that Agüero couldn’t header it for few centimetres. Before the break Pernía tried again a shot with his left foot that went above the Milanese goal.

The second half couldn’t start worse for Atletico: in a corner kick, Ambrosini took advantage of a mistake in the clearing up of Seitaridis to inaugurate the scoreboard. The red and white team tried to recover with a shot by Peter Luccin. The French player broke the ball from outside the area and he could tie the match, but Dida didn’t allow again. Then Aguirre moved to the bench entering Mista and Costinha instead of Agüero and Luccin. Milan could sentence the crash in a movement from the left side of the field by Kaka, the Brazilian, but Leo Franco knew how to cover his goal. The last chance for Atletico was by Mista, when he made a header from a corner kick.

The victory placed the Italian Team in the final of the Teresa Herrera Trophy against La Coruña, while the red and white team will play against Nacional of Montevideo.


Atletico de Madrid: Leo Franco; Seitaridis (Valera, 56’), Perea, Pablo Ibañez, Pernia; Luccin (Costinha, 58’), Gabi (Miguel, 71’), Maxi (Galletti, 79’), Petrov; Fernando Torres & Aguero (Mista, 58’).

A.C. Milan: Dida; Bonera, Simic, Favali, Jankulovski; Brocchi, Vogel (Kaka, 64’), Ambrosini (Gattuso, 72’), Gourcuff (Cafú, 79’); Marco Borriello (Gilardino, 84’) y Amoroso (Foggia, 60’).

Referee: Rodriguez Santiago. Took out yellow card to Perea (6’), Fernando Torres (11’), Luccin (20’), Pablo Ibañez (84’), Ambrosini (17’).

Goles: 0-1 (51’), Ambrosini.


Photo: J. A. Sirvent