Milan left it late yesterday to make an impact against local champions Birkirkara.

After leading 1-0 at the interval, it had to be a goal against the run of play to kill Birkirkara’s hopes of a recovery as the Stripes threatened seriously to get back into the game in the opening 15 minutes of the second half.

However, class told at the end, as Milan easily penetrated the leaky Birkirkara defence and scored four other goals in the space of 20 minutes during which Marco Borriello showed that he will be missed this season (he will probably be suspended for a doping infringement). Also Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf confirmed that he is well in form showing class in all that he did in the second half.

On the whole, Milan failed to impress against modest Birkirkara. To the satisfaction of Ancelotti, however, were the two goals scored by Inzaghi, but Gilardino, who played in the first half, failed to find the net.

Milan fielded a depleted formation in the first half. The announced line-up did not even include Grimi. Instead there was Bruscagin who left a good impression. Still there were the experienced Cafu, Maldini and two of the World Cup heroes, Pirlo and Gilardino. The one who left the best impression was Maldini who seemed to be the fittest of them all, despite his age.

As expected, Milan dominated proceedings and were continuously on the attack, especially on the right flank where Cafu and Oliveira created several anxious moments for the Stripes’ defence.

Goalkeeper Bledzewski, returning from injury between the Birkirkara posts, must be credited with some good interventions as he defied the Milan strikers, especially Gilardino, time and time again.

On the whole, it was a good performance from Birkirkara whose Roderick Briffa played with a lot of confidence in midfield and for whom George Mallia roamed in the open spaces, although the Stripes only once managed to create some sort of danger to Fiori’s post in the first half.

And at the start of the second half, it had to be substitute goalie Facchin who twice denied Barbara from equalising for Birkirkara as the Stripes surprisingly stormed into attack.

Milan went straight on attack but Gilardino missed three glaring chances – twice blocked by Bledzewski and once hitting wildly over the bar.

The nearest he went to scoring was on 15 minutes when off a Cafu cross, his header was saved by Bledzewski close to the upright.

Bledzewski then also denied Di Gennaro, another interesting youngster in the Milan ranks.

After Barbara’s low cross was missed by friend and foe and eventually cleared away by Cafu, Milan finally broke the deadlock on 32 minutes as from an excellent Pirlo cross, Oliveira was left unmarked in the area. With Birkirkara stopping for an imaginary offside, the Brazilian controlled the ball well to beat a helpless Bledzewski with ease.

In the second half, Ancelotti replaced almost everyone leaving only Bruscagin from the starters.

Birkirkara, especially Etienne Barbara, started the second half like a house on fire. On 53 minutes, from a Calascione cross, Barbara’s header was saved with great difficulty by Facchin and a few moments later, the goalie was again in action, diving to his left to save a low shot from Barbara.

Milan doubled on 66 minutes. A fine Borriello run had a flick by Inzaghi being saved partially by Bledzewski and there was Clarence Seedorf who did not miss from seven metres.

Aubameyang went close to adding a third for the Rossoneri on 72 minutes, but his shot went just wide.

On 75 minutes it was 3-0 as Seedorf showed all his mastery in setting Favalli on the left who scored with a splendid rising shot.

The floodgates were now open and soon after Seedorf again served Borriello on the right. The latter crossed into the centre for Inzaghi to hit home.

On 86 minutes, the in form Borriello served Inzaghi, but Sullivan turned to corner.

The final goal arrived on 89 minutes when Inzaghi, despite the attention of Scicluna, beat Sullivan with a rovesciata.