AC Milan 4 Bayern Munich1 (Agg: 5-2): Filippo Inzaghi struck twice as AC Milan crushed Bayern Munich 4-1 last night at the San Siro to go through to the quarter-finals.
Inzaghi scored with headers at the start of each half, while the other components of Milan's exciting forward trident, Andriy Shevchenko and Káka, both found the net.
It took Shevchenko's tally for the competition to eight and it should have been nine, but he shot wide from the penalty spot.
Valérien Ismaël had temporarily brought the German champions back into contention, but in the end Felix Magath's side had no answer to Milan's firepower.
The early minutes gave an idea of the feast that lay in store. Roy Makaay found enough space in Milan's half following Bastian Schweinsteiger's pass to demand that Kakha Kaladze's defensive work be timely and effective.
From there Milan went to the other end, where a dazzling combination between Shevchenko and Kaká enabled them to force the first of a series of corners.
The pressure brought quick reward. A weak clearance gave Serginho the chance to measure his deep cross, and either Inzaghi or Shevchenko could have taken advantage - indeed they almost collided in the rush to be first - but it was Inzaghi who met it with a firm header into the corner of the net.
There were clearly more goals in the offing and one should have come in the 24th minute after Ismaël tangled with Inzaghi and conceded a spot-kick for the second time in the tie.
Shevchenko had earned the Italian side a draw from just this position in Munich two weeks ago, but now he got his placement all wrong, stroking the ball wide of the left-hand upright.
A minute later, however, Milan attacked again and this time Shevchenko was celebrating as a right-wing cross from Jaap Stam found the Ukrainian striker between markers and he had no problem placing his header beyond Oliver Khan.
It was a dispiriting first 25 minutes for the German champions, but one goal would revive them and their chance came following a rash challenge from Vogel. Schweinsteiger struck the free-kick powerfully and Dida could do no more than fend it off. Ismaël was alive to just such a possibility and he had a simple task to score.
But Bayern's cause was undermined again just two minutes into the second half with another example of defensive uncertainty allowing Milan their third goal. Serginho's cross caught Bixente Lizarazu in two minds and, with Ismaël unable to effect a clearance, the ball fell invitingly to Inzaghi whose initial attempt sent the ball looping up into the air. Fortune continued to stay with the Italian international, however, as he was able to meet the ball with his head and guide it over the line.
Bayern continued to play a dangerous game at the back, Willy Sagnol allowing Shevchenko to get away from him.
The Milan captain was looking for his second goal but was crowded out.
In the 59th minute Shevchenko gave Kaká the chance to bear down on Khan and a rising drive forced the Bayern captain to pick another one out of his net.
AC MILAN: Dida, Stam, Kaladze, Nesta, Serginho, Pirlo, Vogel, Seedorf, Kaka (Rui Costa 86), Shevchenko (Ambrosini 76), Inzaghi (Gilardino 71). Subs not used: Kalac, Costacurta, Simic, Jankulovski. Booked: Vogel.
BAYERN MUNICH: Kahn, Sagnol, Ismael, Lucio, Lizarazu (Ze Roberto 52), Demichelis, Deisler (Scholl 63), Schweinsteiger, Ballack, Pizarro, Makaay (Guerrero 45). Subs not used: Rensing, Jeremies, Salihamidzic, Lahm. Booked: Demichelis, Sagnol, Guerrero.
Referee: Valentin Ivanov (Russia).
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