Milan 3 - 1 Chievo
Pellissier 17 (C), Gilardino 33 (M), Oddo 55 (M), Seedorf 93 (M)
Stadio San Siro

Despite Nelson Dida's goalkeeping howler, Milan turned their game
around to beat Chievo 3-1 with Massimo Oddo's first goal for the
club.

The Rossoneri were still dealing with an injury crisis and had to do
without Paolo Maldini, Marcos Cafu, Alessandro Nesta, Serginho,
Kakha Kaladze, Alessandro Costacurta and Pippo Inzaghi, while there
was also pressure to rest players ahead of the Champions League
match with Celtic. Chievo were in trouble too, as Luciano, Victor
Obinna, Vincenzo Sicignano and Federico Cossato were injured with
Fabio Moro and Erjon Bogdani suspended. As before every game this
weekend, there was a minute's silence for the death of respected
journalist Giorgio Tosatti.

Dida almost gave away a goal after four minutes with a terrible
clearance straight to Paolo Sammarco, but the pass found Sergio
Pellissier offside. Kaka and Ronaldo combined to thread through for
Alberto Gilardino, whose first touch let him down in front of the
goalkeeper.

Moments later Il Fenomeno hit the back of the net, but the whistle
had already gone for an incorrect offside decision.

Dida flapped at a long free kick to take it away from Pellissier and
from the resulting corner Davide Mandelli nodded wide.

The uncertainty was even more evident when Chievo took the lead in
comical circumstances. Daniele Bonera was trying to protect the ball
from Pellissier, but ended up clattering into Dida instead and
allowed their opponent to waltz into an empty net!

Moments later Milan nearly equalised with Gilardino's glancing
header well saved by Squizzi, then the goalkeeper flew to fingertip
a splendid Andrea Pirlo free kick out from under the bar.

Massimo Oddo also had a set-piece smothered, but Vincenzo Italiano
saw Dida off his line and attempted a strike from 30 metres.

The Rossoneri drew level and it was again thanks to a defensive
error. Squizzi beat away a sudden Kaka snapshot and Gilardino
pounced on the loose ball, chipping it over the scrambling
goalkeeper.

Mandelli did well to nod Oddo's sweeping cross off the head of
Ronaldo from six yards. Chievo Coach Gigi Del Neri was sent off for
insulting the linesman and fourth official after 35 minutes at San
Siro.

Ronaldo took on three men with a series of step-overs before his
shot was deflected for a corner, but Gennaro Gattuso was booked for
a tactical foul on Giuseppe Cozzolino as he launched a counter-
attack.

Ronaldo spun round to leave a defender for dead, but the finish from
the edge of the area was too weak to truly trouble Squizzi.

After the restart Kaka believed he was brought down on the counter,
but the referee waved play on. Pirlo's free kick was controlled and
Gattuso had an effort closed down.

Milan were passing the ball around with more pace in this half and
Ronaldo combined with Gilardino to reach Oddo on the very edge of
the area. The ex-Lazio man let go of a right-foot foot screamer into
the far corner to turn the game around.

However, Dida was having a nightmare and he completely missed a
cross moments later, clattering into Dario Simic and Pellissier, but
fortunately for him the ball swung just wide of the open goal.

Brocchi's pass went through a Kaka dummy to Ronaldo and he slashed
the shot wide, while at the other end Dida had to deal with a tricky
backpass under pressure from Paolo Sammarco.

A Kamil Kosowski cross went past everyone - defenders and forwards -
with only a touch needed to score and Simic attempted an audacious
strike from over 30 metres.

It was an all-Brazilian move on 70 minutes with Kaka's change of
pace and Ronaldo spinning round, but the ex-Inter man was closed
down when he should perhaps have passed back to his teammate.

Ronaldo was even more egotistical soon after, as on the counter he
took advantage of Salvatore Lanna's slip and tried to chip
the 'keeper, but Kaka was totally unmarked in the centre.

The former Real Madrid star had another effort charged down by
Malago' and tried to break through three players, while Kosowski
drilled wide for Chievo. Kaka's cutback for an unmarked Ronaldo at
the back post was charged down for a corner and on the resulting set-
piece Il Fenomeno tried to dribble through only to suffer from
cramp.

Clarence Seedorf secured the victory in stoppages with a classic
free kick. The Dutchman curled a fine finish into the near top
corner, leaving Squizzi immobile.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------

Milan: Dida; Oddo, Simic, Bonera, Jankulovski; Gattuso (Seedorf 80),
Pirlo, Brocchi; Kaka; Gilardino (Ambrosini 76), Ronaldo (Favalli 88)

Chievo: Squizzi; Malagò, Mandelli, D'Anna, Lanna; Sammarco (Rrudho
80), Italiano, Troiano (Brighi 46); Semioli, Pellissier, Cozzolino
(Kosowski 60)

Ref: Tagliavento