Serie A Week 16 - 11/1/04 (15.00) Milan 3 - 1 Reggina Torrisi 2 (R), Kaka 8, 55 (M), Pirlo pen 70 (M) Stadio Giuseppe Meazza Milan: Dida; Cafu, Costacurta, Maldini, Serginho; Gattuso (Brocchi 89), Pirlo, Seedorf (Ambrosini 46); Rui Costa, Kaka (Redondo 85); Shevchenko Reggina: Belardi; Jiranek, Sottil, Torrisi; Mesto, Baiocco, Tedesco, Falsini; Cozza (Martinez 82); Di Michele (Dall'Acqua 75), Bonazzoli (Leon 73) Ref: Rosetti As I suspected this match was more difficult than it should have been. Milan concede a goal quickly as they did against Udinese. But in this game they found a way to fight back thanks to Kaka's best game as a Rossoneri. He scored 2 and set up the penalty. Carlo went with a very attack-minded squad to start the match. Cafu and Serginho were used as full backs. I was thinking Milan should use the same lineup as they did today before I saw the official lineups. Milan need to learn how to play 2 different ways in Serie A. The first way they have already mastered. That is the way they play against the big boys(Inter, Roma, Juve, Lazio, and Parma). They have already took 11 points out of thier first 5 games against the big guns. It is the little guys where they need to learn how to play a little more attack-minded. Chances are if a lot of goals are scored against the minnows Milan will win alot more than they did last year. Using Serginho and Cafu as full backs is a good start. A+ for Ancelotti Match Highlights: mms://BBwms.libero.it/sport_video/mpw20040111183803_300_V.asf
From the match highlights that I've seen Reggina really gave it a go and could have been two up if not for Dida. Kaka played well, it seems, his goal was what you would expect from a player with his build. His first two touches controlled the ball, turned him towards goal, and skipped a challenge. Brilliant. The third pushed it past two players and the last was a goal. It seemed almost accidental and yet showed his natural talent. Ancelotti's lineup was good, but I wouldn't give him an A+. Maybe B+, because obviously having Cafu and Serginho as backs was leaving Reggina lots of space to run at our defence and it almost cost us. If not for Kaka we would have found it difficult to hit back.
It's worth watching those highlights solely for Pirlo's PK. Kaka's first goal was sheer class. I still curse the day Fox Sports World stopped showing Serie A action.