AC Milan forward Filippo Inzaghi celebrates after scoring against Benfica during their Champions League, Group D match at the San Siro stadium in Milan yesterday. - AP

LONDON (AP):

AC MILAN opened the defence of their Champions League title with a 2-1 win over Benfica yesterday and Chelsea and 10-man Liverpool had to settle for 1-1 draws.

Nearly four months after beating Liverpool to win their seventh European Cup, Andrea Pirlo scored one goal and set up the other.

Pirlo curled a free kick into the top left-hand corner in the ninth minute. He then passed to Filippo Inzaghi in the 24th, and the striker beat Benfica goalkeeper Quim for his 60th goal in UEFA club competitions - and 39th in the Champions League.

Inzaghi, who scored twice in the Champions League final and also in Milan's 3-1 European Super Cup win over Sevilla three weeks ago, is two goals short of Gerd Muller's European record.

Second-half substitute Nuno Gomes tapped in a consolation goal for Benfica in injury time.

The win gives Milan three points in Group D, the same as Shakhtar Donetsk, who beat Celtic 2-0 with goals in the first eight minutes from Brandao and Cristiano Lucarelli.

Chelsea drew 1-1 with Rosen-borg and Liverpool finished 1-1 at FC Porto. Liverpool midfielder Jermaine Pennant was sent off in the 58th minute for a second yellow card.

Real Madrid defeated Werder Bremen 2-1 with a 74th-minute goal from Ruud van Nistelrooy, who also helped set up Raul Gonzalez for the Spanish club's first goal.

Also, it was Marseille 2 Besiktas 0, Schalke 0 Valencia 1 and Olympiakos 1 Lazio 1.