Match report: Lazio 1 - Milan 2

• Goals scored: Thiago Silva 21', Pato 35', Thiago Silva 64' (own goal)
• What happened: Milan scored two first half goals, both on headers. They let Lazio back in the match in the second half when they scored an own goal. It rained very, very hard off and on throughout the match.
• Why it is good that Thiago Silva scored today: He has played well this year (except for brief moments against both teams from Rome). He has almost scored twice in recent weeks (an incorrectly disallowed goal against Real Madrid in Madrid and hitting the crossbar against Parma). He deserved this goal. (See photos above and below of the goal and the celebration afterwards)

• How the own goal took place: Zarate shot from the top of the box. The ball hit Oddo and ricocheted right into the running feet of Thiago Silva, who neatly rolled into his own goal from ten yards out.
• How Lazio reacted to the own goal: Lazio was rejuvenated by the own goal and had several excellent shots. Only fantastic goaltending by Dida kept them from scoring again. Lazio has had a terrible season so far this year and would have really liked to come back to tie or win this game.

• Number of Milan players who used to be captain of Lazio: One (Oddo)
• Number of Lazio players who had lengthy careers at Milan: One (Cristian Brocchi)
• Number of Lazio players who have names that rhyme with another Lazio player: Two (Cristian Brocchi and Tommaso Rocchi)
• Number of well-known former Inter players who now play for Lazio: One (Julio Cruz)
• Number of Inzaghi brothers who played today: One (Filippo-- he managed to pick up a yellow card for shirt pulling within minutes of coming on as a substitute. On the bright side, he was only called for offsides once. Note: The photo above is not of Inzaghi.)
• What this match teaches us: Milan have become very dangerous even though they still do not seem to have put all the pieces of the puzzle together. They are now in third place.

Above: Pato celebrates his goal.

Below: Leonardo congratulates his players at the end of the match.

For highlights, watch the video below:

Match report: Olympique de Marseille 1 - Milan 2

The group stage of the Champions League started yesterday. Milan's first game was in Marseilles. Below is the important information:

• Goals scored: Inzaghi 28', Heinze 49', Inzaghi 74'
• What happened: A terrifying rainstorm...a deranged sea of fans in blue and white chanting and jumping up and down...a Milan goal in the first half on a nice pass from Seedorf to Inzaghi...wave after wave of attacks by Marseille in the second half (including the tying goal)...Milan looking tired and half-full of panic...a completely unexpected and fantastic goal by Milan -- again Seedorf to Inzaghi.
• What this match teaches us: Seedorf rules one half of the known universe. Inzaghi rules the other half.

Olympics Update #1

The men's and women's finals of the BMX competitions were rained out yesterday and have been rescheduled for today. The number one male rider in the world is Maris Strombergs, from Latvia. I don't know anything about women's BMX.

In other news, the women's softball gold medal went to Japan in a shocking upset of the seemingly invincible US team. The US team had won 22 straight games going back to 2000, and they had already beaten Japan in these Olympic games. Softball (along with baseball) was recently voted out of the Olympics and can't possibly return until 2016.

The Japanese players celebrate.

The US players left their shoes at home plate.