Kaká

LuNo · March 16, 2008

AS Roma 2:1 AC Milan - match report

Scorers: Kaka 56', Giuly 78', Vucinic 81'

Ludovic Giuly and Mirko Vucinic overturned Kaka's goal in three minutes for Roma's 2-1 victory over Milan.

There was a great deal at stake at the Olimpico, as the Giallorossi needed to keep up the pressure on Inter and the visitors had to maintain their race for a top four finish. Gennaro Gattuso returned from suspension, but Alessandro Nesta, Nelson Dida, Serginho, Marek Jankulovski, Ronaldo, Pippo Inzaghi and former Roma hero Marcos Cafu didn't make the trip. This meant Carlo Ancelotti - an ex-Giallorossi hero as a player - was able to field a Christmas Tree formation.

Christian Panucci performed a perfectly-timed challenge to tackle Kaka in the box, while Giuseppe Favalli had to clear for a corner when a dangerous Amantino Mancini cross found the Milan defence unprepared.

Zeljko Kalac's poor clearance was straight at Simone Perrotta and risked giving away a goal, but 30 seconds later Alexandre Pato's chipped cross was just too high for Clarence Seedorf.

The first real chance was on 25 minutes when De Rossi's cross was flicked on by Totti and Mancini's acrobatic scissor-kick was over the bar. Moments later Milan threatened too, as Seedorf went past two defenders and Alexandre Doni plucked Kaka's header out of the air.

Totti found space from nine yards on a chipped Rodrigo Taddei pass over the defence, but flashed his shot across the face of goal.

Seedorf dribbled past four defenders to enter the area, but eventually Taddei managed to cut off his path as the last man with a crucial intervention. Kaka nodded a Favalli cross wide of the far post.

Totti rolled back for the unmarked David Pizarro, but his scuffed shot and a Juan attempted deflection were off target.

Max Tonetto's cross from the left was a couple of inches too high for Totti to connect a header from six yards in first half stoppages. At the half-time whistle Totti and Luciano Spalletti were furious, as a corner was halted for an irregularity.

Straight after the restart Seedorf slipped a pass through the crowd of defenders for Kaka, but the Brazilian had a powerful effort parried from seven yards by one strong Doni hand.

Moments later Doni was again called into action with a low one-handed save at the near post on Seedorf, as Milan were far more aggressive in the second half.

Milan were piling on the pressure and opened the scoring on 56 minutes. Massimo Oddo had acres of space down the right channel to run onto Andrea Pirlo's pass and crossed for Kaka to smash under the bar from eight yards with the inside of his left foot.

Totti had a great chance to equalise, but the move was halted for an evident handling offence.

The Rossoneri really should have been 2-0 up on the hour mark. Seedorf combined brilliantly with Pato and the Dutchman squirmed past Doni, but lost his footing from that challenge and Cicinho was able to get back for a goalline clearance.

Ludovic Giuly and Mirko Vucinic were introduced to spice up the Roma attack, but Milan kept pushing and Pirlo's pass over the defence found Kaka totally unmarked for a half-volley that Doni palmed over the bar.

Zeljko Kalac smothered a Vucinic snapshot, but on the counter Pato skipped past Juan and jumped over Doni, earning only a booking for simulation. Emerson replaced Seedorf and was greeted with jeers by the Roma crowd, as he had left the club controversially to join rivals Juventus.

Totti's backheel sent Vucinic clear and he fired over, while Pato selfishly went for goal.

Roma equalised in chaotic circumstances 12 minutes from time. The ball ricocheted around and Perrotta eventually managed to thread a pass through for the utterly unmarked Giuly to volley in from eight yards.

Paolo Maldini's challenge prevented Perrotta from giving them the lead 60 seconds later, but Vucinic turned the game around completely! He sprung the offside trap on a De Rossi ball from the right to slide an angled drive past Kalac.

It wasn't over yet and Totti's lob was just too wide and it was end to end stuff in these final minutes. There was more bad news for the Rossoneri, as Kaka pulled up with lower back pain, something that has been troubling him for some time.

Kalac saved from Giuly and Totti didn't get enough power to a header from Vucinic's cross, but in stoppages Milan players were queuing up and couldn't make contact with Oddo and Pirlo crosses, as Alberto Gilardino took it off Alberto Paloschi's head. The last kick of the game was a Pirlo free kick over the bar.

Roma: Doni; Cicinho, Panucci, Juan, Tonetto; De Rossi, Pizarro (Giuly 62); Taddei (Aquilani 72), Perrotta, Mancini (Vucinic 56); Totti

Milan: Kalac; Oddo, Maldini, Kaladze, Favalli; Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini (Gilardino 85); Kaka (Paloschi 87), Seedorf (Emerson 72); Pato

LuNo · March 16, 2008

LuNo · March 16, 2008

LuNo · March 16, 2008

LuNo · March 16, 2008

LuNo · March 16, 2008

LuNo · March 16, 2008

LuNo · March 16, 2008

KAKA AND SEEDORF'S CONDITIONS

MILAN - Ricky Kaka has a problem to his back, which forced him to leave the pitch before the end of Roma-Milan: the entity of the injury and the Brazilian's conditions will be evaluated in the next few days. The same goes for Clarence Seedorf: he has a problem to his left thigh.

LuNo · March 16, 2008

Player Ratings: Roma 2-1 Milan

Late goals from Ludovic Giuly and Mirko Vucinic cancelled out Kaká's opener to give Roma a 2-1 victory over AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico

Kalac 3.5 – Hard to be positive here. Looked nervous throughout, didn’t command his box, was dodgy with clearances and probably shouldn’t have let Vucinic beat him at his near post.

Oddo 6 – Awful before the break with unconvincing defending and disappointing crosses, but far more assured in the second half and gave a superb assist for the goal. Less to blame for the late mistakes than the rest of the back line.

Maldini 6.5 – Had an outstanding game, commanding at the back and ruthless going forward – only to then play a leading role in the late collapse.

Kaladze 4.5 – It’s clear the Georgian isn’t yet on top form – looked very fragile in the first half and his indecision proved costly at the end.

Favalli 5.5 – Looked fairly comfortable at the back and got forward well but things changed with the emergence of Giuly.

Gattuso 5.5 – Struggled to stamp his authority on this game.

Pirlo 6 – Wasteful with his own chances but delivered some terrific passes, not least in the build-up to the goal.

Ambrosini 5 – Clearly a loser in the battle of the midfield

Kaka 6.5 – Sloppy at times, brilliant at others. Got the goal and always carried a threat.

Seedorf 7 – Probably Milan’s best player even though he squandered a great chance to make it 2-0. Things fell apart only when he was subbed.

Pato 5.5 – Poor final balls didn’t help his cause but then he didn’t make use of what he was given either. Terrible dive.

Substitutes

72mins Emerson (NA); 85mins Gilardino (NA); 88mins Paloschi (NA)

LuNo · March 16, 2008

WE DESERVED MORE

At the end of the match the rossoneri talked about their disappointment for a defeat which came after a good performance by Milan: "Too bad we didn't finish them off after it was 1-0". - THE DECLARATIONS -

ROME - Here are the declarations made by the rossoneri following Roma-Milan 2-1:

KAKHA KALADZE:

"We are disappointed because we lost a match we didn't deserve to lose: the team played well, it was truly a great Milan. We can win games even with just one goal, we have to be more careful once we go in front. If we had scored the second goal maybe we would have closed the game, but this is football and it's good also for this reason. Their first goal came in a really strange way, we could have kicked the ball away, but we failed to do so and Totti played a nice ball to Giuly who was all alone."

MASSIMO ODDO:

"We're very disappointed because tonight we finally gave a good performance, it was the match which signalled a new start and the defeat was completely undeserved, we weren't cynical enough and we could've closed the game before. We have to start again with the knowledge that we are on the right road.

Roma were different to what we expected, they were a bit low key and we really played a good match. Our only mistake was not to have closed the match after going 1-0 up."

PAOLO MALDINI:

"Personally I'm doing fine, but today I'm disappointed because we played a great match and coming to play in Rome and going home with no points hurts.

Also tonight we suffered some injuries like the one to Clarence. He's a very important player for us, who always manages to put the opposition teams in difficulty by moving between the lines. Too bad about this game, we should have closed it before."

KAKA':

"Tonight we saw a great Milan on the pitch, I think it was our best match of the season. I'm really disappointed about the result because we didn't deserve to lose. I hurt my back when I tried to pass the ball to Favalli. Now it still hurts, but it's early to decide if I'll be there on Wednesday against Sampdoria, let's see tomorrow."