David Trezeguet's header from a spectacular Alessandro Del Piero cross has given Juve all three points in the Scudetto showdown at the San Siro.
This was the Day of Reckoning - Milan and Juventus had been locked together at the top of the standings for two months and came head to head at the San Siro. The odds were slightly in favour of the Rossoneri, whose Coach Carlo Ancelotti was unbeaten in home games against Fabio Capello and who had no injury worries going into the tie, while Juve were without Jonathan Zebina, Alessio Tacchinardi and suspended top-scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Milan were hammered 3-1 at PSV Eindhoven midweek, though that result still enabled them to reach the Champions' League Final on away goals. Massimo Ambrosini scored the late header, but was still relegated to the bench in favour of Clarence Seedorf. David Trezeguet had his first start since suffering an ankle injury over a month ago and partnered Alessandro Del Piero.
The Rossoneri had a strong start and Andriy Shevchenko was unable to make the most of Stephen Appiah's error.
There was danger for Juve on 19 minuts, as Sheva managed to get round the goalkeeper, but Gigi Buffon did enough to narrow the angle so that he couldn't get in a cross or a shot.
However, it was the Bianconeri who took the lead after 28 minutes with a well-worked goal. Alessandro Del Piero ran forward on the counter-attack and saw his first cross charged down, so he bicycle-kicked it for David Trezeguet's precise header.
Dida saved a promising Del Piero strike as Milan struggled to get back into the game after this heavy blow.
Carlo Ancelotti made some brave half-time changes, introducing Serginho for Andrea Pirlo and switching to a three-man defence. It made an immediate difference, as Milan were far more sprightly and Marcos Cafu's angled drive was just wide of the far post.
There was another change after 11 minutes, as former Juve star Pippo Inzaghi made his comeback from long-term injury worries by replacing Tomasson.
Within seconds he almost grabbed an equaliser. Shevchenko sprinted forward on the counter-attack and cut it across for Inzaghi. Buffon blocked his first effort with the underside of his thigh, then Gianluca Zambrotta stayed glued to him in order to push the second attempt round the post.
Shevchenko then volleyed Serginho's cross over the bar, then Emerson was only able to turn Trezeguet's cross on to the side-netting.
Juventus had the chance to put the game beyond doubt soon after, as a free kick was turned on to the crossbar by Del Piero's header and Trezeguet was unable to turn in the loose ball.
Ancelotti went for broke with Manuel Rui Costa taking over from Seedorf in a very creative midfield.
Moments later, Lilian Thuram missed Rui Costa's cross and Shevchenko's header was just over the bar.
Dida was attentive on Fabio Cannavaro's header from a Del Piero free kick, but there was controversy on 75 minutes. Cafu snatched the ball off Zambrotta inside the area and was held back by his jersey, but the referee waved away penalty appeals.
Soon after, Pavel Nedved's strike skimmed the target with Dida following its path.
There were further penalty appeals when Cannavaro flung himself at Cafu's shot and blocked it with his arm, but he was too close for it to be considered a voluntary foul.
Moments later, Inzaghi was closed down in the six-yard box by a combination of Thuram and Buffon, as Juve were hanging on for dear life in these closing stages.
The final minutes were a siege and Inzaghi's header from a corner kick was deflected into the grateful arms of Buffon.
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