Match report: Italy 3 - Ukraine 0 (Quarterfinal 2006 World Cup)

• Goals scored: Zambrotta 6', Toni 59', Toni 69'
• What happened: Italy defeated Ukraine in the quarterfinals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. They advanced to the semifinals against Germany.
• Players who appeared in the match and who had played at AC Milan during the previous season: Gattuso, Pirlo, Shevchenko
• Players who appeared in the match and who would later play for AC Milan: Zambrotta, Oddo
• Players who were on the bench for this match and who had played at AC Milan during the previous season: Inzaghi, Gilardino, Nesta
• Players who were on the bench for this match and who would later play for AC Milan: None
• Players who played in the match and who I wish played for Milan: Fabio Cannavaro
• Players whose brothers played in this match and who I wish played for Milan: Paolo Cannavaro
• Questions raised by this match: Was this Gianluca Zambrotta's greatest career moment?
• Who did I root for the first time I saw this match? Ukraine
• Things the ESPN announcers did that were annoying: Mispronounce many names ( "Zambratto," "Purrlo," "Cam-rone-a-nay-see," probably almost all of the Ukraine players' names)
• Injured former players/Juventus staff members whose recent scandal-related suicide attempts were frequently mentioned during the broadcast: Gianluca Pessotto
• Relatively amusing injuries to Italy players: Gattuso 14' (kneed in back), Gattuso 26' (wrist stomped on), Cannavaro 47' (hit in groin by ball after Ukraine player missed header), Buffon 50' (bumped head on goalpost making save)
• Words to describe most of the Ukraine players' hair: long, blond, stringy, Owen Wilson-like
• What this match teaches us: Why AC Milan insisted on acquiring Zambrotta (pictured at top) from Barcelona

Below: Ukraine captain and former Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko

Video highlights are below:

World Cup Update #3: The group stage is over

Here are some important statistics from the group stage of the 2010 World Cup:

• Teams that won all three of their matches: Argentina, Netherlands
• Teams that lost all three of their matches: Cameroon, north Korea
• Teams that allowed no goals in the group stage: Uruguay, Portugal
• Teams that scored no goals in the group stage: Algeria, Honduras

• Most goals scored: Argentina, Portugal (7)
• Most goals allowed: north Korea (12)

• Milan players who have appeared at the World Cup: Zambrotta, Pirlo, Gattuso (Italy); Adiyiah (Ghana); Huntelaar (Netherlands); Onyewu (United States)
• Milan players who have scored at the World Cup: Huntelaar
• Milan players who have not appeared at the World Cup: Thiago Silva (Brazil)

Match report: Udinese 1- Milan 0

• Goals scored: Di Natale 22'
• Milan's offense: Milan held the ball for much of the game, but they did not look close to scoring, especially for the first two-thirds. Pato and Inzaghi looked sluggish and unimaginative. When Ronaldinho and Huntelaar were brought on to replace the two starters, things became more exciting. But they still did not score.
• A word to describe the match: Brutal. It was surprising that no one was seriously hurt.
• Best impersonation of Gattuso: Flamini for getting two yellow cards in under 90 seconds. (See photo above)
• It is not nice to point fingers, but other players played badly also: Massimo Oddo spent most of the evening ruining the offside trap and single-handedly putting Udinese players on onside. Also, Gianluca Zambrotta does not appear to be able to kick the ball with his left foot.
• What this match teaches us: It may never be possible to figure out why this team can't score goals.

AC Milan 2008-2009 Season Statistical Highlights

Here are the statistical leaders for AC Milan this season:

Most games played: Pato (36)

Most games started: Gianluca Zambrotta (33)

Most minutes played: Gianluca Zambrotta (2971)

Most minutes played without scoring a goal (goalies excluded): Marek Jankulovski (2681)

Most goals scored: Kaka (16)

Most yellow cards: Massimo Ambrosini & Marek Jankulovski (10)

Most red cards: Giuseppi Favalli, Massimo Ambrosini, & Marek Jankulovski (1)

Fewest minutes played (of players who appeared at all): Tabare Viudez (1)

Below: Tabare Viudez

Source for statistics: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/ac-milan/squad.html

AC Milan - the four best goals of the year

Seedorf plays the ball through to himself in the penalty area off a defender's chest...Zambrotta shoots and scores from about seven miles out...Pato dives to connect with a header...Kaka scores from maybe even farther out than Zambrotta...These are possibly the greatest AC Milan goals of the 2008-2009 season. The most amazing part, however, is that they were all scored in the same game! (against Lazio on September 21, 2008). The other amazing part is that Zambrotta's goal is the only one he has scored all year.

Picture of the Day