May 15, 2003	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 12, 1424

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MILAN, Italy, May 14: AC Milan won a place in the Champions League final Tuesday despite being held to a 1-1 draw by city rivals Inter Milan in a frantic semifinal, second leg derby at their shared San Siro stadium.

Milan, the away team in the tie, go through on the away goals rule to their ninth final and first since 1995 after the first leg last week ended goalless.

Andriy Shevchenko netted the all-important away goal in first-half stoppage-time, taking advantage of some weak Inter defending to score from close range with his right foot.

Second-half substitute Obafemi Martins gave Inter hope when he cashed in on Alessandro Costacurta’s error to slide home with seven minutes to go.

But a late Inter onslaught failed to produce a winner with Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati’s stunning save denying Mohammed Kallon.

Milan will now meet either Italian rivals Juventus or holders Real Madrid in the final at Manchester United’s stadium on May 28.

Inter were still without first-choice striker Christian Vieri, who missed the first leg after damaging ligaments in his right knee in the quarterfinal return in Valencia.

The continued absence of Serie A’s leading goalscorer meant Uruguayan international Alvaro Recoba, guilty of missing a gilt-edged chance in the first leg stalemate, kept his place in attack alongside Hernan Crespo.

Inter welcomed back Cristiano Zanetti from a one-match suspension and he replaced Francesco Coco in midfield.

Andrea Pirlo was a surprise starter for Milan having made a surprisingly swift recovery from a fractured right knee-cap. The Italy international, a former Inter player, replaced Cristian Brocchi in midfield.

Milan goalkeeper Dida was ruled out after injuring his little finger during Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Brescia. His place between the posts went to 25-year-old Abbiati, Italy’s third choice goalkeeper at last summer’s World Cup finals.

Inter absorbed early Milan pressure and tested Abbiati in the 13th minute.

Marco Materazzi’s chipped pass found Crespo pulling wide and his right-foot half volley was comfortably dealt with by Milan’s stand-in.

Winners of five European Cups to Inter’s two, Milan hit back through Shevchenko, who sped forward to collect Pirlo’s 40-yard pass and flashed a raspimg volley inches wide.

Just as it appeared as if the half would end goalless, Milan broke the deadlock.

Clarence Seedorf, a Champions League winner with Real Madrid in 1998, ran at the Inter defence and slipped the ball wide to Shevchenko.

The former Dinamo Kyiv forward cut inside Ivan Cordoba before scooping the ball over the advancing Francesco Toldo for the opening goal.

A fractious first 45 minutes saw four players booked, Luigi Di Biagio, Gennaro Gattuso, Filippo Inzaghi and Pirlo.

Needing to score twice, Inter coach Hector Cuper brought on Martins and French midfielder Stephan Dalmat for Recoba and Di Biagio at the start of the second-half.

But despite the arrival of fresh legs, it was Milan who posed the greater threat.

Shevchenko had a good chance to double his tally in the 61st minute when he cut in from the lef flank and saw Toldo off his line, but the Ukrainian’s chip cleared the crossbar by inches.

Despite looking dead and buried, Martins breathed life into Inter when Costacurta’s scuffed clearance fell nicely for him and the 18-year-old Nigerian slid the ball under Abbiati’s body for the equaliser.—AFP