AC Milan 3 - 1 Lyon

AC Milan 3-1 Lyon: Milan leave it very late

Updated: April 4, 2006, 5:00 PM ET

MILAN, April 4 (Champions League) - AC Milan left it late before booking their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League as Lyon were made to pay for poor finishing at the San Siro.

Filippo Inzaghi put Milan ahead after 25 minutes, but a 31st-minute equaliser from Mahamadou Diarra seemed set to put the French side in the last four.

But, two minutes from the end, Inzaghi broke Lyon's hearts with his second goal before Andriy Shevchenko rubbed salt into the wound deep into stoppage-time to secure the home side's passage.

It was not all plain sailing for last year's beaten finalists, however.

Lyon set about trying to the vital grab an away goal and put the home side under pressure early on.

Goalkeeper Dida was almost punished for a calamitous mis-kick, but Sylvain Wiltord was too wide of goal and the chance went begging.

Kakha Kaladze was the next in line to make a mistake as he allowed Fred to steal in behind him.

Dida suddenly found himself in no-man's land as the ball rebounded out to Florent Malouda, who lobbed his shot over the bar.

Just as Lyon were threatening the opener, Milan struck with a typical Inzaghi finish.

Andriy Shevchenko sent Clarence Seedorf clear on the left wing and the Dutchman's cross was headed into the bottom corner by Inzaghi for his third Champions League goal of the season.

However, the lead lasted just five minutes before Lyon deservedly drew level.

Juninho, who had already shown his quality from set-pieces by threatening Dida from 30 yards, this time chose to lift his free-kick into the danger zone.

No less than three Lyon players rose to meet the ball, getting in each other's way, but the ball finally cannoned off the back of Cris and sat up kindly for Diarra to head in from close range.

Lyon could even have gone into the interval 2-1 up, but Fred's free header from Claudio Cacapa's corner brushed the outside of the post.

Milan went forward in search of the winner, but Lyon were comfortably in control of the game until the final 15 minutes.

Kaka's header beat Gregory Coupet but he was saved by Wiltord, who headed the ball off the line.

Lyon coach Gerard Houllier waited until the last 10 minutes before altering his side into a more defensive unit, bringing Anthony Reveillere on for Sidney Govou.

But the move backfired as Inzaghi this time showed his predatory instinct to net from point-blank range.

Everybody else got caught watching Coupet save Shevchenko's angled drive onto the far post, the ball rolling across the line and hitting the opposite upright for Inzaghi to beat Kaka to the tap-in.

Shevchenko pounced on a defensive error to net a killer third in stoppage-time, leaving Lyon's European dream in tatters.