AC Milan 1 - Deportivo La Coruña 2

Milan: Abbiati; Helveg, Simic, Maldini, Kaladze (Aubame 85'); Dalla Bona, Pirlo, Rui Costa (Inzaghi 75'), Serginho; Shevchenko, Tomasson. 4-4-2.
Deportivo: Juanmi; Scaloni, Héctor, Romero, Capdevila; Sergio, Mauro Silva; Makaay (Duscher 78'), Fran (Toro Acuña 65'), Luque (Amavisca 55'); Diego Tristán. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 34. Tomasson. Glancing header down past Juanmi from Kaladze cross.
1-1. 58. Diego Tristán. Shot from way outside area which keeper got fingers to.
1-2. 70. Makaay. Ran on to long ball from Amavisca to place shot wide of keeper.

Group G:
AC Milan............. 12 points
Deportivo........... 12 points
Lens....................... 8 points
Bayern Munich... 2 points

Deportivo are back. Rumours of the demise of the Gallician side proved premature as they put in an inspired performance to beat AC Milan 1-2 and qualify for the second phase. Vying with Lens for second spot in their group, and with a higher points total but a worse goal difference than the French side, Depor needed to at least match their score to be absolutely sure of going through. Lens though were playing at Bayern Munich, and had to win to have a chance of overtaking the Gallicians.

Irureta put out a side with no recognised central defenders due to injuries, but the real surprise was up front, where he found room to include Makaay, Luque and Diego Tristán. Ancelotti though rested some of his top players knowing that his team had already qualified as group winners, and Rivaldo, Inzaghi and Nesta all started off on a very expensive substitutes' bench. Even so with Shevchenko and Tomasson leading the attack they were a side to be reckoned with.

Depor came forward straight from the kick off, and keeper Abbiati was Milan's best player as the front three took it in turns to try him out. However the Italians were dangerous on the counterattack, with Serginho hitting the bar with a cross come shot, and a few minutes later they took the lead when Tomasson headed Kaladze's cross down past Juanmi.

The news at half time from Munich was good, with Lens losing. Milan though were starting to get on top, and Irureta brought on Amavisca ten minutes into the second half to try and shore up the midfield. Three minutes later they were level, Diego Tristán unleashing a spectacular shot from thirty yards out which Abbiati got a hand to but could not stop.

It was a good result, but by now Lens were level, and as things stood a win by the French side would have left Deportivo in third place. They didn't have to worry though, as twenty minutes from the end Amavisca won the ball in his own half and blasted a long ball downfield for Makaay to leave his defender for dead and strike a low shot past the keeper. The goal silenced the San Siro, but Milan were not that concerned and despite the introduction of Inzaghi they did not trouble Juanmi again.

Depor had qualified on their own merits, and had won in Italy for the first time ever in to the bargain. As it turned out Lens drew 3-3 at Bayern Munich so they could have lost and gone through, but after the 0-4 defeat by the Italians in the Riazor stadium it was a much needed boost for Irureta's side. Once again Spain have four teams in the second round, and they still rule the roost.