Milito spoils Beckham´s day as Genoa earn Milan draw

January 28, 2009

ROME (AFP) – Diego Milito equalised three minutes from time to deny David Beckham a winning goal as AC Milan were held to a 1-1 draw by Genoa at the San Siro on Wednesday.

Just three days after scoring his first goal for Milan, in the 4-1 win at Bologna, former England skipper Beckham netted his second from a free-kick but it wasn’t enough to guide the Italian giants to victory.

The goal, however, will have done little to calm the developing Beckham drama in Milan where both club and player have admitted they wish to extend his proposed two-month loan stay in the Italian financial capital.

When Beckham lined up wide on the left of the area just after the half hour it seemed more likely that a cross was coming, but the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder stunned Genoa’s Brazilian goalkeeper Rubinho by shooting into the top corner at the near post.

However, Serie A’s joint top scorer Milito poked home from close range late on to dampen the party atmosphere in the San Siro.

It means that third placed Milan fell to eight points behind leaders Inter Milan as the champions won 2-0 at Catania in Sicily despite playing for an hour with 10 men.

Inter were off to a stunning start when Dejan Stankovic gave them the lead after just five minutes.

Julio Cruz escaped down the right, turned inside his marker and crossed with his left foot as the Serbian stormed into the box to glance home a header.

Catania thought they had equalised on 13 minutes when Michele Paolucci fired a loose ball past Julio Cesar but Japanese forward Takayuki Morimoto was harshly penalised for a high foot on Argentine centre-back Nicolas Burdisso who had stooped to almost waist height to meet a cross with his head.

Catania then had a let off as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, earlier booked for a dive in the box, crashed a shot against the bar.

However, any hard feelings Catania may have had for Paolucci’s disallowed strike were eased as Ghana midfielder Muntari Sulley was shown a straight red card for a foul on Giacomo Tedesco on 31 minutes.

Tedesco’s foot got caught under Sulley’s leg as he slid in for what looked to be no more than a booking but the referee stunned the Inter players by pulling out the red card.

The same post that had saved Catania in the first half came to Inter’s rescue on the hour as Guiseppe Mascara’s cross deflected off Burdisso’s head and left Julio Cesar helpless.

But 20 minutes from time Ibrahimovic settled the affair for the champions as he beat the offside trap, latched onto Stankovic’s long ball forward, chipped the stranded goalkeeper Albano Bizarri and collected the ball before slotting home.

Inter’s lead now stands at six points after Juventus lost 2-1 at Udinese, who won for the first time in 12 matches.

Fabio Quagliarella gave Udinese the lead on 20 minutes after a lightning break involving Antonio Di Natale and Kwadwo Assamoah.

Di Natale added a second 16 minutes from time but three minutes later Vincenzo Iaquinta pulled a goal back from the penalty spot to set up a nervy finale.

Written by: AFP

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