[Chelsea11]

Originally Posted by KingCantona07

Those are real results I believe

they are.

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[Courtesy: ESPN SOCCERNET]

MILAN FALL WITHOUT KAKA
AC MILAN 1-2 CLUB AMÉRICA
56' Esqueda
66' Inzaghi
84' Marquez


[Daniel Marquez and his teammates celebrate after he scored the winning goal against AC Milan]

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Mexico's Club America continue to surprise their opponents, as they walk away with another win, defeating AC Milan 2-1 after Kaka, the Rossoneri star, left the San Siro to move to Madrid.

ATLANTA, United States - Following their shocking victory over Inter Milan in the opening match of the World Football Challenge, Club America surprised us once again. This time beating AC Milan at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. After Pipo Inzaghi equalized for the Rossoneri just ten minutes after America grabbed the opener, Daniel Marquez scored his first goal of the tournament with only minutes remaining.

The first half of the competition's third match was very slow and uneventful. It appeared as if AC Milan were trying too hard to play solid, attacking football as they attempted to fill the void left by the departure of Ricardo Kaka to the Bernabeu in Madrid. The majority of the first forty-five minutes was bogged down in the middle of the pitch, seeing possession changing hands constantly. The difference in Milan's play without Kaka was apparent.

Without the Brazilian superstar, Milan seemingly could not spray the ball around the field as fluently as they had in past years. With Kaka gone, it looked as if the Rossoneri were trying to force the ball to Kaka's countryman Ronaldinho. In spite of Ronaldinho's efforts, he failed to really start anything with the exception of his free kick striking the crossbar in the 33rd minute.

After the half time rest period, the excitement really started. Just about ten minutes after the teams came out of the huddle for the second time, we witnessed the opening goal. In the 56th minute, America found the breakthrough, coming courtesy of Enrique Esqueda. Salvador Cabanas played a pefect ball through the AC Milan defense, finding Esqueda in the area. The twenty-one year old Mexican then shot with his left foot, beating Marco Storar by putting the ball into the top left corner from about six yards out.

However, Milan came back, scoring on America only ten minutes later. Milan caught America on the counter attack, and Frenchman Mathieu Flamini found Inzaghi with a great through ball. America was caught out of position and had no chance to stop the roaring Milan attack. Inzaghi put it away easily, tucking the ball into the bottom corner.

As time ticked away and we neared the final whistle, a draw looked certain. But, in the 86th minute, Las Aguilas were able to shock the crowd inside the Georgia Dome, as they grabbed what would turn out to be the winning goal. Guillermo Cerda used his speed to beat his marker on the flank, then sent a cross into the area. The cross from Cerda was absolutely perfect, as Daniel Marquez rose above his defender and sent the header into the bottom corner, beating Storari easily.

Despite AC Milan's late attacking effort in attmepts for an equalizer, the Rossoneri failed to find the back of the net, falling to Club America 1-2.


+ MATCH EVENTS
- GOALS
56' Esqueda
66' Inzaghi
84' Marquez

- ASSISTS
56' Cabanas
66' Flamini
84' Cerda

- SUBSTITUTIONS
45' Onyewu on for Nesta
61' Abate on for Seedorf
70' Beausejour on for Martinez
70' Marquez on for Cabanas
70' Zambrotta on for Antonini
77' Strasser on for Gattuso
80' Chitiva on for Esqueda
80' Harmony on for Flamini


- BOOKINGS
28' Flamini
63' Gattuso
65' Jankulovski
79' Balotelli

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+ MATCH FACTS
Goals: America 2-1 AC Milan
Total Shots: America 13-13 AC Milan
Shots On Target: America 5-5 AC Milan
Corners: America 1-7 AC Milan
Possession: America 52%-48% AC Milan

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NEXT MATCH: Chelsea vs AC Milan, M & T Bank Stadium, July 24th, 2009