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A fascinating return to the UEFA Champions League after three long months proved well worth the wait as AC Milan and Manchester United served up a true modern day classic at the San Siro. The teams created 30 shooting chances over the 90 minutes, but despite AC Milan scoring the first and the last goal of the game, it will be Manchester United who head home for the second leg the happier with a lead and three away goals to defend. A brace from Wayne Rooney put the visitors in the ascendancy after Paul Scholes' effort had cancelled out Ronaldinho's opener. The Brazilian though turned late provider as Clarence Seedorf's quality finish gave the Milan fans reason to hope for a minor miracle when these two sides meet again in two week's time at Old Trafford.

Milan lined up in their characteristic 4-3-3 formation with a few surprises in their starting eleven. United old boy David Beckham got the nod to start alongside fellow veterans Andre Pirlo and Massimo Ambrosini in the middle of the park with the returning Clarence Seedorf keeping Gennaro Gattuso and Mathieu Flamini company on the bench. Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar led the line with the Brazilian magicians Ronaldinho and Pato on either side of him.

United too sprung a surprise with their formation opting for a rare 4-4-1-1 with Park Ji-Sung operating in the hole behind Wayne Rooney, with Nani providing the width on the right. Darren Fletcher was deployed on the left side of the midfield quartet providing defensive cover, almost going man for man on David Beckham. Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes fitted into the center as United tried to negate any threat of the experienced Milan midfield. Jonny Evans lined up at the back with new England captain Rio Ferdinand also wearing the United armband.

Milan raced out of the blocks and found themselves on the board as early as the third minute thanks to a deflected strike from Ronaldinho. Some fancy footwork from Alexandre Pato drew a foul from Patrice Evra, and David Beckham whipped in the resulting freekick. Evra acrobatically attempted to get the ball away under no pressure whatsoever, but miscued his clearance straight to Ronaldinho, whose goal bound effort wrong footed Edwin van der Sar thanks to a huge deflection off Michael Carrick.

Milan battered United in the first half an hour, with the visitors looking absolutely woeful at the back. Evans failed to win almost any of the early aerial exchanges and the United back line and midfield gifted Milan plenty of possession with some terrible passing. Ronaldinho was taking fellow Brazilian Rafael da Silva to school on the left hand side and despite Nani working hard to provide cover Milan were having plenty of joy on that flank.

Luca Antonini, a 27-year old left back who rarely gets a start for Milan, had a great chance to double his side's advantage in the 10th minute, but he poked his right foot effort just wide of the near post. United were lucky not to give away a penalty soon after when Rio Ferdinand appeared to get enough off Ronaldinho to send the superstar to the floor, but the referee took the easy way out choosing not to make a decision either way. Huntelaar had a great chance to go into Milan folklore after bursting through into the box, but his effort while on full stretch trickled wide of the post.

Completely against the run of play in what was a very rare run forward, Manchester United took the lead through Paul Scholes. United took advantage of an injured Antonini with Fletcher getting down the right and putting in an excellent cross into the Milan box. The veteran Scholes was in the right place at the right time, and despite missing his kick altogether saw the ball hit his standing leg and roll into the net off the post leaving a despondent Dida cursing his luck and the majority in the San Siro wondering if their eyes had deceived them. Antonini was replaced by 38-year old Giuseppe Favalli, a move that had profound implications as the match wore on.

David Beckham had a great chance to restore Milan's advantage on the stroke of half-time, but the England international fired his 20-yard freekick miles high. United went into the break more than a little fortunate to be locked at 1-1.

Milan began the second half considerably slower as United started to get their passing game going. Neither side created anything of note in the first 15 minutes, with Ronaldinho providing the sole attacking outlet for Milan, and Man United using Wayne Rooney's pace on the counter.

The key moment in the context of this tie took place in the 63rd minute as Sir Alex Ferguson replaced a largely wasteful Nani with Ecuador internation Antonio Valencia. The former Wigan Athletic right winger took on substitute Favalli, 14-year's his senior, and chipped in a delightful cross with what was his first involvement in the game. Wayne Rooney, who has worked incredibly hard on his aerial ability all year rose unmarked at the far post to float an excellent header into the back of the net, right back in the direction from which the ball came. An outstanding cross, finished off with a textbook header to give United the lead.

Milan brought on a sub of their own in the 72nd minute replacing Beckham with multiple time Champions League winner Clarence Seedorf for the last 20 minutes. But it was United who were to profit from the move as Fletcher ghosted forward with no Beckham tracking back and with time and space at his disposal chipped in a delightful 5-yard ball in the direction of Rooney. The England international timed his run to perfection beating the offside trap and heading home from close range to give United a 3-1 lead.

A listless Milan dropped their heads and were there for the taking as Manchester United could have buried this tie at that stage. However, an outstanding Ronaldinho had other ideas as he sparked to life in the 85th minute, putting in a useful ball which Seedorf cheekily poked home to bring the San Siro back to life.

Milan bombed forward in search of an equalizer at the death, and Ambrosini, Inzaghi (who came on for Huntelaar) and Thiago Silva all had decent efforts which on another day could have easily found the back of the net. It was not to be though as United avenged their 3-0 defeat at the hands of Milan in the semi-finals here in 2007 with some magic of their own thanks to the brilliance of Wayne Rooney and the perseverance of Darren Fletcher. The win was soured by a surprise sending off for Michael Carrick, who collected a very late second yellow card.

Milan will however feel that despite the deficit they are still alive in the contest, and thanks to the nature of the scoreline are likely to have a go at United in the second leg at Old Trafford later this month.

Teams:

AC Milan: Dida, Bonera, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Antonini (Favalli), Beckham (Seedorf), Pirlo, Ambrosini, Ronaldinho, Pato, Huntelaar (Inzaghi).
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva (Brown), Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Nani (Valencia), Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Park, Rooney.

Final Score: AC Milan 2 - 3 Manchester United

File Photograph Copyright: Barry Zee