| Shevchenko celebrates the goal that sent AC Milan clear in their group | |
MILAN, Italy -- Andriy Shevchenko's first half header gave AC Milan a 1-0 win over Barcelona in front of a 68,000 and moved them a big step closer to the knockout stages of the premier club competition.
The Ukraine striker buried Marcos Cafu's cross for his 30th goal in 60 Champions League appearances to settle a fiercely-contested match that left Milan three points clear in Group F.
Barcelona can consider themselves unlucky not to have snatched a point with Henrik Larsson and Andres Iniesta both hitting the woodwork.
Milan's victory maintained their 100 per cent record but Barcelona, who have a five-point lead at the top of the Spanish league, host their rivals at the Nou Camp in two weeks.
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti was delighted to shut out one of Europe's most potent attacking forces and take three precious points from the Catalans.
"I am very happy as we controlled the match for an hour and 15 minutes," said Ancelotti.
"At this moment Barcelona are playing some of the best football in Europe and the fact that we didn't concede a goal is very significant.
"With a little more precision we would have a second goal and it was only in the last quarter of an hour that they gave us problems."
Milan, who have been crowned champions of Europe six times, were the first to threaten, Shevchenko's angled rasping right-footed shot blocked by the legs of Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes.
The home side made all the early running, but Xavi slowly asserted his authority in the center of midfield and Barcelona started to tick.
With the Spain international pulling the strings and Milan continuing to squander possession, the visitors came within a few inches of taking the lead in the 19th minute.
Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o surged forward and fed Larsson, who had peeled off into space, but the former Celtic striker's rising shot rattled the crossbar.
Milan, currently second in the Italian league, regained the momentum and after Andrea Pirlo had shot tamely into Valdes' arms they took the lead on the half hour.
Pinned close to the right flank and with little space to work in, Cafu delivered a curling cross towards the six-yard box and Shevchenko rose above his marker to plant a firm downward header past Valdes.
The Milan fans went wild, but there was an even bigger cheer moments later when Gennaro Gattuso, not the most technically-gifted footballer, stopped the tricky Ronaldinho in his tracks with a superb sliding tackle.
Barcelona finished the half on top with Ronaldinho showing some delightful touches on the left flank and Deco, a Champions League winner with Porto last season, making a nuisance of himself in and around Milan's penalty box.
Filippo Inzaghi, Shevchenko and Cafu spurned chances to increase Milan's advantage before Nelson Dida was called into action, diving low to to palm away Ronaldinho's vicious drive.
Milan appeared content to sit on their lead and their change of tack almost cost them dear.
Ronaldinho evaded a flurry of tackles and found Juliano Belletti whose intelligent cutback fell perfectly for Iniesta, but the substitute lost his head and blasted high over the bar.
Belletti drilled wide from an acute angle as Barcelona poured forward in search of an equaliser, before Iniesta saw his effort come back off the bar on the stroke of full time.
Shakhtar off the mark
Shakhtar Donetsk earned their first Champions League win with a 3-0 thrashing of Celtic in the battle between the two bottom clubs in Group F.
Playmaker Matuzalem scored twice in a six-minute spell to give the Ukrainian runners-up a 2-0 lead after 63 minutes before assisting fellow Brazilian Brandao, who completed the rout in the 78th minute.
Brazilian Matuzalem broke the deadlock with a low shot from the edge of the box in the 57th minute before adding the second six minutes later.
The goals were Shakhtar's first in three group matches.
Shakhtar, who had lost their first two games to AC Milan and Barcelona, moved into third place with three points while Scottish champions Celtic are now rooted to the bottom of the group after losing all their matches.
