Pro Eleven Headlines
Last gasp Ronaldinho saves Milan's blushes
Former twice world player of the year Ronaldinho came off the bench to score an injury-time winner as AC Milan beat Sporting Braga 1-0 at the San Siro on Thursday.
The Brazilian struck three minutes into time added on to deal a cruel blow to the Portuguese visitors who had enjoyed the better chances throughout the evening.
But Ronaldinho's goal showed the quality that Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti was so keen to secure in the off-season as he let fly from just over 20 yards, finding the top corner despite a host of bodies blocking his target.
"I'm happy, not because I scored but because the team has earned an important result," said the match-winner. "Everyone worked really hard and we played with a lot of calm. I hope we can continue along this path.
"The gaffer told us that Sporting Braga have done well in the UEFA Cup and haven't conceded a goal in seven matches so we should be double-pleased.
"Every day I feel more and more at home," he added in Spanish, not Italian.
Ancelotti had rung the changes for this match, as he has done with every UEFA Cup match.
The likes of Ronaldinho as well as Kaka, Marco Borriello and Clarence Seedorf made way so Andrei Shevchenko and Filippo Inzaghi could make rare starts with Pato completing a three-pronged attack.
Brazilian Nelson Dida came in for Christian Abbiati in goal and on-loan Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos took his Milan bow following injury.
Milan started brightly and Inzaghi flicked a header just past the far post from a Marek Jankulovski cross from the left after just four minutes.
But Braga showed they would be no push-overs as two minutes later Colombian forward Wason Renteria turned Senderos in the box before finishing weakly into the side-netting with the whole goal to aim at.
The visitors were actually enjoying the best of the chances and Cameroon forward Albert Ze Meyong escaped down the right on 14 minutes before crossing for Renteria, who could not muster any power on his shot.
Just before the half hour mark, Renteria set up Cesar Peixoto, who beat his man with his first touch but was then twarted from close range by Dida.
Just after the hour mark Milan escaped what should have been a clear penalty as Brazilian midfielder Emerson tripped Paulo Cesar in the box.
Ancelotti had seen enough and brought on Ronaldinho for the ineffective Pato and Seedorf for bit-part player Emerson.
The changes did not at first have the desired effect, though, and Braga still came closest to breaking the deadlock.
Renteria should have covered himself in glory in the last 10 minutes but from inside the six yard box he failed to make contact with Brazilian substitute Matheus's cushioned header.
But then Ronaldinho showed his class with virtually the last kick of the match.
Bent hat-trick is product of confidence says Redknapp
Harry Redknapp emphasised the power of positive thinking after Tottenham Hotspur continued their remarkable transformation under his charge by trouncing Dinamo Zagreb 4-0 in the Uefa Cup. Darren Bent scored his first hat-trick for the club and Tom Huddlestone the other goal in a comprehensive victory which brought Redknapp's record to three wins and a draw from four matches.
"Confidence is the key," said the manager. "Winning is a great thing and we have to keep going on this little run to get off the bottom of the league. I believe we have the players to do that and that's what we all have to believe."
He suggested it was Bent's ability to believe, as much as his sharp finishing, which gave the striker his hat-trick. Bent had been criticised by supporters still mourning the loss of Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane but he has now scored nine goals this season, more than the combined total of the departed duo.
"He has a great attitude - he wants to do well and is always willing to work on his game," said Redknapp. "Nine goals is a terrific return so far and, with [Roman] Pavlyuchenko [who was cup-tied last night] having scored against Liverpool and young Fraizer Campbell impressing when he came on tonight, we had fierce competition for places."
Redknapp indicated that competition was all the more intense among the strikers because they were competing for just one place, since the skills of Luka Modric effectively force the manager to play with a single front man. Deployed in the free role in which he has revelled since Redknapp took charge, Modric tormented his former club last night and was hailed as "Tottenham's most creative and dangerous player" by the visiting manager, Branko Ivankovic.
"He's such a fantastic player, you really need to play him," said Redknapp. "When I came here people were saying Modric isn't strong enough to play in England, but he's not a weakling. He's a lot stronger than I'd realised and also he has a big heart. He's been excellent for us and we've got to believe in giving him the ball in tight areas because he can receive it there. He's got that great ability to always know what's going on."
