Inter get chance to draw breath

UEFA Champions League semi-final, first leg: AC Milan...0 Inter Milan...0. Italy juddered to a halt last night as Milan's footballing powerhouses ground the life out of each other in sweltering San Siro.

This most localised spat remains on edge for another week, though it was hard to deny the feeling this is forza Inter.

Hector Cuper's Inter side, winner of two European trophies in comparison to AC's five, were far from drab. They might have prospered from their early attacking flurries, but still departed the happier.

The goalless scoreline may have come as little surprise given calcio's stingy reputation, but this remains a tumultuous tie to be resolved next Tuesday.

Something, eventually, will have to give.

After a colourful choreographed display of flags and banners from the two sets of supporters had set the scene and sparked a crescendo of noise before the kick off, it was Inter who made the first positive move.

Recoba latched on to a neat flick from Hernan Crespo but from the edge of the penalty area shot weakly at Milan goalkeeper Dida.

The little Uruguayan forward lacked power again 10 minutes later when, unmarked, he headed a Sergio Conceicao cross softly into the arms of the Brazilian keeper.

Il derbyssimo had long been trumpeted as a contrast in styles, matching the glitz of Milan with the grit of Inter. But, while Milan laboured, strutting around as if engaged in the most public passeggiata imaginable, Inter mixed their tricks and flicks with threatening incision. Unfortunately, without the injured Christian Vieri, a lack of bite nullified their invention.

Sergio Conceicao wove menacingly down the right to terrorise Paolo Maldini, the Portuguese's cross headed down weakly by Alvaro Recoba where Vieri might have proved somewhat more emphatic.

The misses generated their own din as Andrei Shevchenko burst on to a breathless Milanese break to curl in a shot where most expected a cross, only for Francesco Toldo to palm it away at the last.

That urgency was maintained as the elusive and error-prone Manuel Rui Costa thrashed attempts wide of each post and Kakha Kaladze's near-post centre was prodded ineffectually goalwards by Schevencho.

That opportunity brought Silvio Berlusconi to his feet in the tribuna, though the sight of Schevchenko bizarrely attempting to feed the offside Inzaghi when clean through rather than driving on himself left the club president and prime minister despairing, with head in hands.

Apart from an Ivan Cordoba header which flew wide, Inter had long since retreated into their shell, their reliance on the excellent Toldo growing with every Milan surge.

Gennaro Gattuso forced the goalkeeper to tip a vicious attempt round the post and Clarence Seedorf should have given him no chance at all but skied over from close range.

Milan continued to press but their cavalier approach almost cost them dear in the final minute when Crespo nearly scored for the visitors against the run of play. Too often - against a well-disciplined Inter back line - Milan were tempted into harmless long-range shots and Cuper will feel his decision to play with three central defenders paid off.

Afterwards Seedorf remained convinced his side can reach the final.

The Dutch international, who moved from Inter to AC in the summer, believes his side are still in the ascendancy ahead of the second leg next week.

"I think we played a good game. We controlled most of the play. They had a couple of good chances in the first half but we had the best chances to score.

"We weren't able to get the goal but I believe we showed with our play that we are the better team and I'm convinced we can get through to the final.

"I'm not frustrated because it was important not to concede a goal and we have achieved that.

"If we score next week and it's a draw then it counts as double so we'll be happy with that."

Seedorf also aimed a critical jibe at Inter's defensive style of play.

He said: "Their style is to think destructively while we are thinking constructively and I think we showed a lot of good play, the way football should be played."

Guardian Service

AC MILAN: Dida, Costacurta, Nesta, Maldini, Kaladze, Brocchi (Serginho 73), Gattuso (Redondo 78), Seedorf, Rui Costa, Shevchenko (Rivaldo 81), Inzaghi. Subs Not Used: Abbiati, Simic, Tomasson, Roque Junior.

INTER MILAN: Toldo, Cannavaro, Materazzi, Cordoba, Coco (Pasquale 84), Javier Zanetti, Di Biagio, Emre, Sergio Conceicao (Guglielminpietro 66), Recoba (Kallon 71), Crespo. Subs Not Used: Fontana, Vivas, Martins, Gamarra.

Referee: Valentin Ivanov (Russia)