EINDHOVEN, (The Netherlands) May 5: AC Milan grabbed an undeserved place in the Champions League final on Wednesday as they lost 3-1 to PSV Eindhoven in their semifinal second leg clash. However, Massimo Ambrosini’s injury-time goal gave the Italians an invaluable away goal and even though Phillip Cocu replied immediately to make it 3-1 the visitors won out on the away goal rule as the tie ended 3-3 on aggregate.

AC Milan will meet English side Liverpool in the May 25 final in Istanbul. The outstanding Marc van Bommel said it was a shame the best side had not gone through.

“It is disappointing. We deserved to win because we were the best team,” said van Bommel, who looks set to leave at the end of the season for Barcelona.

“However they scored an away goal. Its a pity we didn’t go through but unfortunately we allowed them to score their three golas in the dying seconds of three of the four halves of the clash.

“We were hit by a sucker punch (Ambrosini’s goal). We had a little bit of bad luck today.”

Ambrosini understandably was ecstatic as he clutched the match ball.

“I’m taking the ball home with me,” said the 27-year-old midfielder.

“We suffered. They played very well, but we were able to limit the damage. We could have gone out here, but with that goal it turned out well.”

Milan’s Dutch central defender Jaap Stam paid credit to the players from one of his former clubs.

“PSV dominated the match and played very well but anything is possible in football. We had one chance and we took it,” said the former Manchester United defender.

“Of course I have sympathy for PSV because they played very well.”

However Stam said that AC Milan would have to really step up to the plate against Liverpool, who put Chelsea out on Tuesday.

“We need to be more positive in the final as we spent most of this match defending.”

PSV looked to be at least forcing extra-time as they dominated the visitors for all the match - as they had done largely in the first leg - and goals by dynamic Korean Park Ji-Sung and Cocu levelled the tie.

AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti bore a worried look in the sixth minute as his vastly-experienced captain Paolo Maldini put in a typically brave header as Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink went for a bicycle kick five yards out and ended up being kicked in the head by the Dutchman.

The veteran - who will be appearing in his seventh Champions League final - lay prone on the turf before being taken off for treatment and then returned to the fray a couple of minutes later.

However he had barely been back on the pitch before PSV had reduced the deficit on aggregate as Park scored a great goal in the ninth minute passing the ball to Vennegoor of Hesselink before the latter got the better of Stam and 24-year-old Park was on hand to crash the ball past Dida into the net.

AC Milan had to wait for 25 minutes before they even had a shot at goal and Clarence Seedorf’s effort was way wide of the mark with the Dutchman holding his hand up to his team-mates in abject apology.

PSV coach Guus Hiddink was off the bench a minute later as Vennegoor of Hesselink rose to meet van Bommel’s freekick only for the 26-year-old to see his header scrape the bar with Dida beaten.

PSV central defender Alex produced a selfless piece of defending as he threw his body in front of Kaka’s goalbound effort to clear the danger.

The impressive Lucius was next to force Dida into a save as his vicious swerving low shot came through a morass of players but the Brazilian keeper got down to save.

PSV started the second-half in fiery fashion as first van Bommel’s mis hit shot drifted wide of the post and then Park miskicked with the goal at his mercy after a delightful step over by van Bommel on the edge of the area.

PSV were saved at the other end when Lucius covered back from his right back slot to slide tackle Andrei Shevchenko as he was played in by Kaka and Heurelho Gomes gathered the ball safely.

However justice was done when PSV went 2-0 up and level on aggregate in the 65th minute as Cocu arrived to head home at the far post from a brilliant cross by Park’s Korean team-mate Young-Pyo Lee, who had outstripped Brazilian World Cup winning fullback Cafu down the left flank.

Ambrosini should have taken it out of PSV’s grasp with 10 minutes remaining as unmarked he had a free header from a corner but it was parried by Gomes and hacked clear.

Ambrosini, though, made no mistake in injury-time as again unmarked he met Kaka’s cross but his header should have been turned away by Gomes, who instead helped it into the net.

Cocu made sure the Italians could not rest easy as almost immediately he scored with a superb volley after Vennegoor of Hesselink had won the ball and headed it on but while he gave the scoreline on the night a realistic touch the damage had been done.—AFP