AC Milan wins group; Celtic still advances

Filippo Inzaghi found the back of the net in the 70th minute.

Milan, Italy  - Filippo Inzaghi scored as AC Milan captured Group D of the Champions League with a 1-0 win over Celtic on Tuesday.

Celtic defeated AC Milan 2-1 on Oct. 3 and needed a victory to win the group. Celtic still finished second to advance to the knockout round.

AC Milan, the defending champions of the tournament, controlled most of the match but couldn’t find the back of the net until the 70th minute.

Defender Cafu set up the goal when he got free on the end line and passed to Inzaghi a step inside the 6-yard box, where he easily finished between Celtic goalie Artur Boruc and a defender.

Boruc played a big role in keeping the deficit at one goal, making two saves on one play in the 81st minute. He stopped Cristian Brocchi’s blast from the top of the 18, then had to make another save when Inzaghi tried to score off the rebound.

Celtic’s Scott Brown nearly equalized in the 82nd, but AC Milan goalie Zeljko Kalac punched the shot wide. Brown also had a great scoring chance earlier in the half but fired well wide of the left post on a breakaway.

AC Milan’s Kaka had a chance to put the game away in extra time when he made a 50-yard run and dribbled around Boruc, but his shot was deflected by Celtic’s Evander Sno.

Inzaghi’s goal was his 63rd in European play, moving him past ex-Bayern Munich forward Gerd Mueller as the all-time leading scorer.

Group D finished a week earlier than the rest of the Champions League because AC Milan is playing the FIFA World Club Cup in Japan next week.

In the group’s other game, Oscar Cardozo scored twice as Benfica beat Shaktar Donetsk, 2-1, to finish third and secure a spot in the UEFA Cup.

Christiano Lucarelli scored the one goal for Shaktar Donetsk, which still had a chance of advancing in the Champions League entering the match. Instead, it was eliminated from the tournament and also lost a spot in the UEFA Cup.

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