AC Milan players hold the Cup while celebrating their victory over Liverpool in the Champions League final in Athens yesterday. AC Milan won 2-1. - Reuters

ATHENS (Reuters):

AC MILAN beat Liverpool 2-1 with two goals from Filippo Inzaghi to win the European Cup for the seventh time yesterday and avenge their defeat by Liverpool on penalties in the final two years ago.

Liverpool, who looked down and out, pulled a goal back in the 89th minute through a Dirk Kuyt header but could not repeat their famous Istanbul fightback when they recoverd from 3-0 down to force a 3-3 draw and win the 2005 final on penalties.

The Italians took the lead against the run of play just before half-time when Inzaghi got in the way of Andrea Pirlo's free kick to divert the ball past helpless 'keeper Pepe Reina.

He added the second in the 82nd minute when herounded Reina and squeezed the ball home under his body after being played in by Kaka.

Powerful header

Dutchman Kuyt gave Liver-pool some hope just before the end with a powerful header into the net after Daniel Agger had headed the ball across the area from a corner.

But in the end it was Milan's fans celebrating loudest after seeing their 38-year-old captain Paulo Maldini lift the trophy. It was his record-equalling eighth final and the fifth European Cup success of his career.

"The fifth is still beautiful," Maldini said. "This would be a great end to my career but I want to play next season and then it would be very beautiful ... to reach this point again next year."

Created more chances

Despite Milan ending the match victorious, Liverpool enjoyed most of the possession and created more chances without managing to find the net earlier in the contest.

Their disappointed captain Steven Gerrard said: "It's difficult to take but that's football for you. You've got to take it on the chin and move on and try and pick yourself up but it's heartbreaking."

Milan had failed to impress in the first half, and needed a stroke of luck to break the deadlock against the run of play.

Their victory completed an astonishing comeback for the club punished for their role in last year's Italian match-fixing scandal and who were only allowed to compete in the Champions League after UEFA decided they had no legal grounds to ban them.