coppa italia: ac milan 2 novara 1 video hightlight

Mathieu Flamini earlier spared AC Milan's blushes by netting the winner nine minutes from time in a 2-1 last-16 victory over third tier Novara.

Striker Filippo Inzaghi, now 36 and often a substitute under manager Leonardo this season, had reminded Milan of his worth with a 12th-minute opener and other fine touches.

A second-string Milan side allowed Pablo Gonzalez to score just after the break but the hosts prevailed when Flamini's powerful strike set up a meeting with Udinese or Lumezzane, who play on Thursday.

Milan qualify for the Coppa Italia quarter finals beating Novara at San Siro thanks to goals by Inzaghi and Flamini. Pippo opened the score after 12 minutes. The visitors equalised with a great left-footed shot from distance by Gonzalez. Novara believed in it, pushed by the almost 10.000 visitors at San Siro, but a great shot toward the top corner of the net by Flamini gave the Rossoneri victory, allowing them to continue the series of consecutive positive results.

Coach Leonardo plays Storari between the posts, Bonera and the young De Vito on the wings with Kaladze and Favalli in the center. In midfield Flamini, Ambrosini and Jankulovski with Di Gennaro behind the strikers Inzaghi and Huntelaar. Available: Abbiati, Thiago Silva, Antonini, Abate, Gattuso, Verdi, Zigoni.
Here are the 11 chosen by Attilio Tesser: Fontana, Cossentino, Centurioni, Ludi (72' Lisuzzo), Gheller, Shala (83' Motta), Porcari, Tombesi (80' Juliano), Rigoni , Bertani, Gonzales. Available: Ujkani, Evola, Ledesma, Rubino.

Di Gennaro and Bonera made their season debuts. The Rossoneri defender returned on the pitch after ten months since Milan-Atalanta of 8 March 2009, when he was forced to leave the pitch 6 minutes before the end.

MATCH STATS:

MILAN-NOVARA 2-1

MILAN (4-3-1-2): Storari, Bonera (46' Abate), Kaladze, Favalli, De Vito, Flamini, Ambrosini, Jankulowski, Di Gennaro (67' Verdi), Inzaghi, Huntelaar. Available: Abbiati, Thiago Silva, Antonini, Gattuso, Zigoni. Coach: Leonardo
NOVARA (4-3-1-2): Fontana, Cossentino, Centurioni, Ludi (72' Lisuzzo), Gheller, Shala (83' Motta), Porcari, Tombesi (80' Juliano), Rigoni , Bertani, Gonzales. Available: Ujkani, Evola, Ledesma, Rubino. Coach: Tesser
REFEREE: Candussio
GOALSCORERS: 12' Inzaghi (M), 46' Gonzales (N), 81' Flamini (M)
BOOKED: Porcari (N)

Zurich 1- milan1 ( Video highlight : Ronaldinho's goal )

A fright night for AC Milan ended with a 1-1 draw and a place in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League after FC Zürich paid a high price for a single unfortunate challenge.

Ronaldinho penalty
Milan Gajić's superb 29th-minute free-kick for the hosts, who had enjoyed a shock 1-0 win over Milan at San Siro on Matchday 2, looked set to steer the eliminated Swiss champions to a repeat success. But a red card in the 63rd minute for Alain Rochat after he felled Marco Borriello in the area, meant a penalty which Ronaldinho gratefully converted to settle nerves as Milan advanced as Group C runners-up behind Real Madrid CF.

Early chance
Milan made a bright start and needed only seven minutes to create their first chance, with left-back Luca Antonini breaking down the flank to cross, Marco Borriello nodding the ball on and Pato meeting it with a volley which Johnny Leoni did well to smother. It was not a sign of things to come. Zürich's Adrian Nikci swung a left-footed shot just wide by way of reply and although his side needed longer to settle than the seven-times European champions, they were impressive when they did.

Gajić strikes
The hosts could easily have taken the lead in the 26th minute when Gajić threaded the ball past Milan's defence for Alexandre Alphonse to sprint clean through only to balloon his shot over the bar. Gajić made no such mistake three minutes later from over 25 metres, bending his free-kick around the Milan wall and just inside the left-hand post with Dida beaten at full stretch. It was a fair reward for Zürich's efforts and despite Borriello hooking a half-chance over shortly afterwards, Zürich were looking good for their lead. They might even have had a second shortly before the break when Onyekachi Okonkwo sent in a rising shot from the edge of the area, forcing a sharp save from Dida.

Milan switch
Milan, which had struggled in the final third throughout the opening 45 minutes, showed a little more bite after the restart. Fed by Clarence Seedorf, Ronaldinho drilled in a low angled shot from inside the area which Leoni kept out with a one-handed save. It was not enough for Milan coach Leonardo, who sent on Mathieu Flamini for Massimo Ambrosini to try and stir things up.

Ronaldinho levels
Things certainly livened up in the 63rd minute, when Seedorf slipped a killer pass through to Borriello in the Zürich area and the Italian striker was sent tumbling by Rochat. A red card for the Swiss defender swiftly followed and Ronaldinho gave Leoni no chance with the spot-kick, sending the keeper the wrong way. Suddenly, it was a different contest and Milan substitute Kakha Kaladze came agonisingly close to putting the visitors in front with a header from Andrea Pirlo's free-kick. To their credit, Zürich were determined to exit the competition heads high and they limited Leonardo's men to only half chances late on, but Milan had done enough to advance

HERE THE VIDEO HIGHLIGHT