AMBROSINI GIVES MILAN WIN
Napoli arrived at the San Siro without a win all season so it was no surprise that they set their stall out to frustrate Alberto Zaccheroni's Milan team. The plan worked well and Milan could manage one shot on target for the first forty-four minutes of a first half in which Milan enjoyed total domination.
However, not for the first time in his career it was left to Paolo Maldini to lead by example and from the front. On the stroke of half time the 32 year old Milan captain delivered a perfect cross to the head of Jose Mari, unfortunately the post of the Napoli's goal intervened and the ball was scrambled away but not far enough and when the ball was eventually returned Ambrosini couldn't miss with a close range header.
The second period saw a more adventurous Napoli, the only part lacking was the finishing touch. Time and again they hit Milan on the counter but were unable to force the ball in. But it wasn't for the lack of opportunity and Zaccheroni will be less than satisfied by his defences' regular lapses in concentration.
Indeed it was only the crossbar which kept Milan ahead on the hour mark when Emanuele Troise got across the front of Francesco Coco but saw his header crash against the bar. A few minutes later it was the athletic reactions of Christian Abbiati in the Milan goal that kept out another goal bound effort, this time from Oscar Magoni.
To their credit the Milan forwards did create enough chances to finish off Napoli but thwarted, occasionally by desperate defending but usually bad finishing. Oliver Bierhoff, Andrei Shevchenko and Serginho all failed to find the target when well placed.
The game was far from an exciting affair but the atmosphere was soured further by the continued racist abuse aimed at Milan's central defender Julio Cesar from sections of the crowd.
