Tomasson ensures Milan Derby

Milan led 1-0 at the interval thanks to a Filippo Inzaghi header before a pulsating second period in which a place in the last four changed hands four times. It was cruel on a young Ajax side who played, as they have done throughout the competition, tight and neat football with a constant threat on the counter-attack.

But the win guarantees that one Serie A club will be in the final at Old Trafford on May 28 as Milan joined Inter and Juventus in the last four. Real Madrid face Juve in the other semifinal after beating Manchester United 6-5 on aggregate.

Milan took the lead against Ajax on the half hour when Rui Costa fed Andriy Shevchenko on the right and the Ukrainian’s deflected cross was headed in by Inzaghi at the back post.

Milan had gone close seven minutes earlier when Cristian Brocchi fired into a crowded penalty area and his shot took a big deflection off Ajax defender Petri Pasanen.

The ball looped towards the top corner of the net but Ajax goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont pulled off a remarkable diving save to claw it away. Television replays suggested the ball may have crossed the line before Lobant’s sprawling save but there were no protests at the time from the Milan players.

After Inzaghi’s opener Milan’s nerves were calmed and they went close again twice before the interval. First, Shevchenko veered his way across the penalty areabefore checking and delivering a well-weighted chip that dropped just over the bar.

(Reuters)