บท 459: Nedvěd’s Killer Blow: AC Milan’s Hopes Fade
AC Milan equalizes at 2:2, reigniting hope, and the San Siro erupts!
"Counting the extra time, there's about 20 minutes left. Will AC Milan manage another goal? Can they pull it off? The Serie A champions won't bow out without a fight! This is their time to show why they are among Italy's elite. If Milan has any dreams of advancing in the Champions League, they'll need to summon the courage and determination to prove they deserve a place in this tournament."
Aldrich gave a slight smile. So the score was even—so what?
Even if Millwall lost this game, they could still rest easy.
But he would never hand over victory on a silver platter.
Now, it was time for the real ace up his sleeve.
Before the restart, Millwall submitted their substitution list, and the referee signaled the changes.
"Millwall's gone for a triple substitution! Pirlo, Larsson, and Ronaldinho are all coming off the field. What could Hall be thinking? Pulling out his three most threatening players—is he planning to go all-out defense? Lampard's taking Pirlo's place, Gronkjaer's in for Ronaldinho, and Klose is subbing for Larsson. Looks like a one-for-one change, but what about Klose? Rumor has it, this German youngster used to be a winger in his amateur days—are we about to see him fill Larsson's role on the flank?"
After entering, Klose headed to the center circle and exchanged a few words with Henry, adjusting positions.
Aside from that one goal, Henry had barely participated in defense during the second half, staying forward to conserve energy for this moment. With plenty of stamina left, he moved to the wing, Klose took up the central forward position, and Gronkjaer slotted in on the other wing.
AC Milan fans probably thought Millwall was retreating, trying to hold onto the draw.
But Zaccheroni, AC Milan's coach, looked tense as he gazed at the field.
Was Millwall really going to defend?
If they were, why wasn't Pedretti subbed in from the bench?
It looked as if Gronkjaer couldn't match Ronaldinho's skill, Klose wasn't quite Larsson, and Lampard lacked Pirlo's offensive prowess.
But that was in usual conditions. With 70 minutes gone, Ronaldinho and Larsson had exhausted themselves, running up and down the flanks, forcing AC Milan's whole lineup to stretch and retract. Now, they were off for a break, replaced by a fresh and, frankly, faster Gronkjaer. At this moment, Gronkjaer was perhaps a greater threat than a fatigued Ronaldinho.
With these substitutions, Millwall restructured into a 4-3-3, though it bore little resemblance to the 4-3-3 they started with.
Gattuso and Lampard dropped into a double pivot, with Nedved in central midfield. Gronkjaer and Henry occupied the flanks, and Klose spearheaded the attack.
Now, AC Milan had a dilemma.
Millwall was leaving the midfield open, with the defense staying deep. With Gattuso and Lampard shielding the backline alongside Nedved, they erected a two-layer wall that kept AC Milan's attack at bay.
Zaccheroni was nearly in a fury. Millwall committed seven players to defense. Five Milan attackers were futile against this wall; six was a gamble, and only with seven could they hope to strike a balance.
This was beyond a simple comparison of individual abilities.
"Aldrich played his cards, and Zaccheroni could do little more than grumble quietly to himself. Yet, truth be told, he held no real grudge.
It's a familiar scene on the Serie A stage; in Italy, where defense is praised as an art, catenaccio has long been criticized as negative football. When stronger teams face weaker ones, it's almost routine to encounter walls of seven, eight, even nine defenders.
Millwall, however, isn't a weaker team, but here they are using the same tactics. Zaccheroni could hardly begrudge them for it; if he were in Aldrich's shoes, he'd probably use a similar strategy himself."
AC Milan's opponent wasn't just a dense defense but also a relentless foe: time!
As the clock ticked down, Milan's attacks grew more frantic and urgent.
"After six minutes of high-intensity pressing, the tide finally turned against them.
Albertini, unable to find an opening, went for a long-range shot himself. The ball bounced off Barzagli's chest and flew out.
Lampard was right there for it, firing the rebound down Millwall's right side.
Gronkjaer got it just past midfield and took off. AC Milan, as always, pulled everyone back, but they looked weary, while the Dane flew down the field as if on wings.
Maldini stayed back, knowing that if he moved in, Gronkjaer would simply pass and slice through the defense.
Gronkjaer cut inside. Klose, who had dropped back, took the ball, turned, and slipped it through to Henry. In a flash, Henry cut inside, skipping past Sala and Costacurta, and as Maldini tried to recover, Henry struck!
One-on-one, Henry had it in the bag. He coolly curled it into the far corner, with Abbiati left helpless.
'80th minute, Millwall are back on top, 3-2! This could all but end AC Milan's Champions League hopes! A measly one point from four matches, and it might cost them not only a spot in the final 16 but the pride of Serie A!'"
Scoring his second goal, Henry waved to Klose, who had assisted him. Together, they jogged to the away stand, acknowledging the traveling fans.
Aldrich closed his eyes, tilting his head back with a carefree smile.
AC Milan's predicament wasn't Millwall's doing alone; it was largely their own.
If they'd taken 6, 4, or even 3 points in the first two games, they wouldn't be scrambling now, facing Millwall as a desperate team.
In this match, AC Milan had to battle both Millwall and the ticking clock. Aldrich had no intention of letting this opportunity slip through his fingers.
In the 70th minute, Aldrich's tactical adjustment was one that fans were already quite familiar with. In the history we know, five years later, when the 'Special One' took over at Stamford Bridge, it was the 4-3-3 formation that dominated the Premier League. What made it so effective? Duff, Robben, Drogba, and Lampard formed a dynamic attacking diamond, while the rest of the team dedicated 90% of their efforts to defense. The space at the back was tightened up, and they capitalized on every counter-attack with deadly efficiency.
The flares burning in the stands of San Siro were doused by Millwall's third goal.
Aldrich opened his eyes and surveyed the stadium, watching as the once-boisterous stands fell silent. A smile spread across his face.
It wasn't just pride; he relished this feeling—making a legendary stadium fall silent was a moment every coach could savor.
In the final ten minutes, the match turned brutal as AC Milan threw everything into a frantic attack.
Then, in the 88th minute, Henry broke down the left from midfield, launching a long sprint. The play followed a familiar pattern: after drawing defenders, he swiftly passed the ball. Klose received it and quickly relayed it to an unexpected teammate.
This time, Maldini closely tracked Gronkjaer, who made a run forward, while Sala kept pace with him as Henry released the ball. If Klose tried to drive past Costacurta, he'd likely lose possession. Instead, Klose passed the ball within two meters to his side.
Nedvěd, who had been strolling around for almost half an hour, suddenly accelerated with the same speed he had at the start. AC Milan's retreating midfielders couldn't match his pace, and as Ambrosini grabbed his arm in desperation, Nedvěd broke free with a firm shake, pushing him aside.
Receiving the pass from Klose, Nedvěd maintained his speed, charging into the penalty area. In an instant, he sliced through the entire defensive line, now one-on-one with the goalkeeper. As Abbiati rushed off his line and took a couple of steps forward, Nedvěd calmly placed the ball into the bottom corner, leaving Abbiati with no chance but to watch it roll into the net.
Turning around, Nedved embraced Klose with one arm and raised his fist with the other.
"4-2! AC Milan has no chance now. Nedved's goal has ended any suspense. Millwall will secure their fourth consecutive group-stage win, guaranteeing their spot in the next round. Sadly, the Serie A champion's odds of advancing are slim; they're down to a theoretical chance."
AC Milan players looked numb. After a feeble attempt to regroup after the restart, they seemed to lose heart, as Millwall wasted time with back-passing. After three minutes of added time, the referee blew the final whistle.
"Congratulations to Millwall, with a perfect record of four wins, accumulating 12 points. In the same group, Hertha Berlin has 6 points, Galatasaray has 4, and AC Milan is left with just 1 point. Millwall has secured early qualification, and given their 4-1 victory over Hertha at home, they've practically locked down the top spot in the group. For AC Milan to make it to the Round of 16, they not only need to win their remaining two matches but also hope that Millwall wins their last two games as well. Their fate is no longer in their own hands."
After the match, AC Milan players were either dazed or dejected. Some Millwall players exchanged jerseys with them; others offered comfort, like Larsson, who walked over to Shevchenko.
As Aldrich prepared for a post-match interview, an unusual scene played out near the tunnel.
Pirlo dashed toward the tunnel, chased by an irate Gattuso.
After being subbed off, Pirlo overheard the coaching staff discussing Gattuso's misstep that led to Bierhoff's assist for Shevchenko's goal. After the match, Pirlo teased the elated Gattuso, prompting the fiery midfielder to chase him off the pitch. While this might seem like a rift to outsiders, Italian media wouldn't be fazed.
These two had shared a bond since their days with Italy's U21 team, often engaging in playful scraps.
For anyone else, it might have been a real fight. But for them? It was all in good fun.
Today, Aldrich wasn't overly reflective. A win was a win, and a loss would hardly linger. The result was satisfying—giving young defenders exposure to high-stakes play. Mistakes were made, but that didn't matter; Aldrich had always been about planting seeds and enjoying the shade later.
What he hadn't expected, though, was the impact of two consecutive victories over AC Milan. Even the notoriously tough Italian press was starting to change their tone, offering him praise and congratulations in the post-match press conference.
In their first encounter at Wembley, AC Milan had been comprehensively beaten. Italian media could chalk it up to factors like the environment, team conditions, or even a temporary drop in Milan's strength.
But today, at San Siro, they had no excuses. On overall strength, Millwall had a more potent offense, though their defense was vulnerable. This win was a testament to Millwall's technical prowess over AC Milan.
Reflecting on Millwall's recent record—one win and one draw against Juventus, double victories over both Inter Milan and AC Milan—the three northern Italian giants had been decisively outplayed by the same club and coach. The Italian press was left speechless; all they could offer the victors were applause and admiration.
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