AC Milan's Andriy Shevchenko (right) challenges Barcelona's Ronaldinho during their first leg Champions League semi-final soccer match at the San Siro stadium in Milan yesterday. Barcelona won 1-0. - REUTERS
milan, italy (ap)
LUDOVIC GIULY SCORED off a pass from Ronaldinho yesterday to give FC Barcelona a 1-0 win over AC Milan in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals.
The France forward beat an offside trap to send a left-foot shot past Milan goalkeeper Dida in the 57th minute after a chipped pass from the 2005 European and FIFA World Player of the Year at the San Siro.
Barcelona will enter next week's return leg at the Camp Nou on a nine-match unbeaten run at home in Europe. Juventus were the last team to beat Barcelona - in the 2004 Champions League quarterfinals.
It was Giuly's first goal in this season's Champions League. He had shot straight at Dida in his team's best chance in the first half, with the hosts and six-time champions dominating before the break.
LONG-RANGE ATTEMPT
Milan striker Alberto Gilardino's shot from inside the box hit the near post in the 14th. A minute later, Barcelona 'keeper Victor Valdes blocked a header from striker Andriy Shevchenko.
It took 23 minutes before the Catalans' first shot on goal - a long-range attempt by Samuel Eto'o that Dida easily gathered. Six minutes later, Ronaldinho's free kick bounced off the Milan wall.
After half-time, Ronaldinho hit the post in the 64th on a counterattack, while Dida stopped a shot from midfielder Andres Iniesta two minutes later to please the 76,883-capacity crowd.
In the 51st, Shevchenko and Kaka set up Gilardino - but the Italy forward's attempt went just wide.
Milan's best chances after falling behind were a long shot by Kaka that went wide in the 75th, and another missed by substitute Massimo Ambrosini minutes later.
Captain and substitute Paolo Maldini had a header from a corner well saved by Valdes in the 87th.
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