WISE GUY PEGS BACK MILAN
Dennis Wise, in a performance that went some way to securing his berth in the forthcoming England squad, latched on to a brilliant chipped through ball from Roberto Di Matteo and drilled left-footed past Abbiati to earn Chelsea a priceless Group H.
The English club had dominated the early exchanges with both Dan Petrescu and Albert Ferrer testing AC Milan`s patchy defence but seeing their efforts stopped by the Milan keeper.
But it was Tore Andre Flo who wasted the best chance of the first half when he fired wide from the edge of the area after the Italian team`s defence was once again caught square.
Milan forced their way back into the game and Chelsea fell back on the solid partnership of Frank Leboeuf and Marcel Desailly.
Andriy Shevchenko saw a curling free-kick whistle past a post with De Goey stranded and Oliver Bierhoff looking a constant threat in the air.
And it was the head of Bierhoff that finally broke the deadlock in the 74th minute when he glanced an effort past De Goey and within the near post after a good cross from Brazilian Serginho.
Chelsea looked dead and buried but Wise pounced just three minutes later when the out-of-favour Di Matteo played the pass of the night just after being brought on as a substitute.
The hard-fought point means that Chelsea are level with table topping Hertha Berlin, who were thrashed 4-1 at home to Galatasaray last night, with AC Milan two points behind.
Chelsea will qualify if they draw in their next match against the German side even if Milan beat Galatasaray but a win for the London and Italian teams would see both go through.
Group G saw Sparta Prague earn a point and qualification in their game against a Bordeaux side that secured their place in the next round last week. Sylvain Wiltord came closest to scoring for Bordeaux with an effort on the half-hour mark that PoÊítulka did remarkably well to save. Sparta had only one effort on target all night, Rame unsuccessfully testing the Bordeaux keeper from distance.
Spartak Moscow, have secured a UEFA berth after condemning Dutch side, Willem II to an early exit from European football in their 1-1 draw last night.
