Milan thrash Shakhtar

European Champions AC Milan grabbed an important 3-0 victory over Shakhtar to give a huge helping hand in their hopes for qualification in Ukraine.

Filippo Inzaghi unlocked the game for the Italians when producing a second half double and setting up Kaka for the third goal to lift Milan to the top of Group D with two games remaining.

The defending champions have failed to live up to their billing as conquerors of Europe on the domestic front where they lie ninth behind their city rivals Inter, but Carlo Ancelotti's men are enjoying better fortune in this competition.

The Italians had the bulk of possession in the first half but were unable to unlock Shakhtar's tight defence and went into the break all square, that scoreline parity even reflected on the bookings front with Dutch referee Peter Vink dishing out two apeice.

Inzaghi, three minutes after coming onto the pitch to replace Alberto Gilardino in the 66th minute, eventually got the goal their domination deserved when he latched on to a clever defence-splitting throughball from Andrea Pirlo to shoot past Andriy Pyatov.

Six minutes later Inzaghi was at the centre of the second goal when he chested a high ball down in the box for Kaka to shoot in by the far post and he wrapped up the game with his second in the third minute of injury time.