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An Andrea Pirlo free kick and stunning team move finalised by Pippo Inzaghi gave Milan a confident 2-1 win over Benfica.

Manuel Rui Costa returned to San Siro to face his former club as captain of Benfica and was given a warm welcome by the fans, players and Coach Carlo Ancelotti. Rui Costa helped the Rossoneri to win the trophy in 2003 and they started this new campaign as holders. Ronaldo was out injured, but Pippo Inzaghi was picked as lone forward.

In the opening minutes Kaka had a shot charged down on the edge of the area, then Inzaghi just failed to redirect a wayward Massimo Ambrosini volley from Massimo Oddo's cross.

The pressure paid off on nine minutes, as Andrea Pirlo curled one of his trademark free kicks from 25 metres into the near top corner. The goalkeeper managed to get a hand to it, but the ball was too perfectly placed for him to keep it out.

An acrobatic Kakha Kaladze clearance closed down Cardozo's counter, but Milan should have had a second when Oddo cut back past his defender, Inzaghi hooked the ball down and fired wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Moments later Quim flew to palm a spectacular Ambrosini volley off target from another Pirlo free kick. A splendid team move saw a Kaka dummy free Inzaghi for the strike that Quim parried with great difficulty.

Benfica fought back as Rui Costa unleashed a rocket that stung Nelson Dida's palms. The move continued and Dida did not reach the deflected cross, so Cardozo headed against the upright from a yard!

However, as Benfica tried to push forward, Milan struck with a magnificent counter-attacking move. Kaka ran the entire length of the pitch to cross for the unmarked Pirlo, but instead of shooting he chipped the ball over to Inzaghi for a volley into the ground.

Seedorf's first touch let him down, then at the other end Rui Costa set up Cardozo for Dida's firm save. Another sweeping team move saw the ball sent to Kaka from seven yards, but he hesitated and the defender closed him down.

An Inzaghi glancing header from Ambrosini's cross swooped over the bar and after the restart Marek Jankulovski went on a solo run, his effort deflected out for a corner. Kaka went on a splendid solo run, dribbling past a couple of players, but the finish was charged down from eight yards.

Luis Filipe did enough to put Jankulovski off his shot, while Inzaghi almost scored a bizarre goal with his chest. Moments later Ambrosini's header took the ball of a potentially more dangerous Inzaghi volley.

Benfica introduced former Fiorentina hitman Nuno Gomes, but it was all Milan with another team move and Jankulovski strike turned wide. Inzaghi really should have done better when Seedorf and Ambrosini combined brilliantly, as he ballooned over with his left foot with acres of space.

Another fine sweeping move sparked by Kaka had a chipped Pirlo cross turned back in by Gennaro Gattuso's overhead kick, but Inzaghi was crowded out for a corner. Oddo went for a more direct route with an absolute screamer from 30 metres that stung the goalkeeper's palms.

Benfica only threatened from distance, as Dida smothered a long-range Katsouranis strike. Milan's first substitution saw Emerson make his Champions League debut in a Rossoneri jersey in place of Seedorf.

It should have been 3-0 twice in the space of 10 seconds. Kaka nutmegged a defender for Jankulovski and Inzaghi's tap-in was denied by a splendid Quim reaction save. The move continued and Emerson's dipping strike from distance was fingertipped over the bar by the attentive goalkeeper.

Kaka had another sprint at the goal cut short by Katsouranis' well-timed tackle and Alberto Gilardino had the final seven minutes on the pitch.

Coach Antonio Camacho substituted Rui Costa late on so that he could receive a standing ovation from the entire Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, including the Milan players on the bench. He responded by patting his heart, as his five years here were not forgotten.

The game wasn't over yet, though, as in the final seconds Nuno Gomes was at full stretch to turn a Katsouranis cross past Dida and tear the clean sheet.

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Milan: Dida; Oddo (Bonera 81), Nesta, Kaladze, Jankulovski; Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Kakà, Seedorf (Emerson 75); Inzaghi (Gilardino 84)
Benfica: Quim; Luis Filipe, Edcarlos, Katsouranis, Leo; Rui Costa (Nuno Assis 87), Maxim Pereira, Cristian Rodriguez, Di Maria; Miguel Vitor (Binya 73), Cardozo (Nuno Gomes 63)
Ref: Riley (Eng)

Channel 4