KAKA PUTS SKIDS UNDER UNITED

United will have to content themselves with chasing the Premiership title and a possible Double if they can beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final.

But last night too many of their star performers failed to step up to the plate and they never looked likely to preserve their slender advantage from the home leg.

The decision to play ring-rusty Nemanja Vidic looked ill-judged as Milan opened at full throttle.

Kaka served an ominous warning of what was to come when he managed to turn Vidic as if he wasn’t there in the seventh minute and his dangerous ball across the six-yard box went just too far ahead of Filippo Inzaghi.

A minute later, Edwin van der Sar came to United’s rescue when he brilliantly tipped Clarence Seedorf’s drive over the bar.

Milan dominated possession in the early stages and United didn’t help themselves by giving the ball away when they did get it. Kaka threatened again when Vidic and then Gabriel Heinze both slipped trying to intercept Massimo Oddo’s cross from the right, but the Brazilian couldn’t muster enough power behind his volley to trouble Van der Sar.

Kaka, however, got it right when he put Milan ahead after 11 minutes. Vidic was slow to react when Seedorf headed Oddo’s long ball back into the area and Kaka drove a first-time shot into the bottom corner of the net. It was the 10th goal in 12 Champions League games this season and his third against United.

Van der Sar saved at Inzaghi’s feet and was then relieved to see Andrea Pirlo’s long-range drive go wide, before United threatened for the only time in a poor first half when Ryan Giggs surged forward and forced a save out of Dida.

United had only themselves to blame for Milan’s second goal after half an hour. Heinze foolishly played a ball back into his own area for Vidic, who slipped as he tried to clear. Pirlo turned the ball across the area, where Seedorf
outstretched Darren Fletcher and Vidic before driving a shot into the same bottom corner of the net that Kaka found earlier.

Cristiano Ronaldo was dispossessed and United made little attacking headway, continuing to look uncomfortable at the back.

That was underlined when Wes Brown and Van der Sar suffered a communication breakdown and almost
presented Milan with a third goal. When Ronaldo finally worked some room for a shot, he blazed his effort high and wide to bring to an end a disastrous first half for United.

Needing two goals to get back into the tie United started the second half with far more attacking intent and urgency.
But it was still Milan who threatened to score a third goal after 53 minutes when Ronaldo gave the ball away again. Kaka got past Vidic again to be foiled by Van der Sar’s superb save – and the rebound dropped just past Inzaghi.
Fletcher had a chance that he should have got on target but sent his shot wide.

Then Wayne Rooney played a pass right across the six-yard box but looked on in exasperation because none of his team-mates was forward enough to convert the chance.

Milan were looking comfortable and took off Inzaghi and sent on Alberto Gilardino.

With United still not looking like making a breakthrough and time running out, Ferguson sent on Louis Saha for John O’Shea. A minute later it was all over as Milan scored their third goal. Ambrosini sent the ball through for Gilardino to place a shot past Van der Sar.

AC Milan (4-3-1-2): Dida; Oddo, Nesta, Kaladze, Jankulovksi; Gattuso (Cafu 84), Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf; Kaka (Favalli 86), Inzaghi (Gilardino 66). Booked: Ambrosini, Gattuso. Goals: Kaka 11, Seedorf 30, Gilardino 78.
ManCHESTER Utd (4-3-2-1): Van der Sar; O’Shea (Saha 77), Brown, Vidic, Heinze; Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes; Ronaldo, Giggs; Rooney. Booked: Ronaldo.
Referee: F De Bleeckere (Belgium).