FanHouse Ac Milan

In a very unsurprising development, AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani declared that the club is "95 percent" finished on bringing back David Beckham to the club in January on loan. Galliani went as far as to call it a "done deal."

Unlike last year when there was a lot of alarm and acrimony when Beckham announced his intentions to play somewhere else during the break in the MLS season, this time there doesn't seem to be too much problem that he'll be away from the Los Angeles Galaxy for a period of time after the 2009 season wraps in November.

It would have been an almost unbelievable ending--the humble yet powerful hometown hero rising into the air to tie a game scheduled so fans could worship at the altar of Chelsea and AC Milan's big foreign stars.

But it was not to be. Oguchi Onyewu's 92nd-minute header went just wide of the right post, and the English club escaped with a 2-1 win in Friday night's World Football Challenge exhibition at Baltimore's sold out M&T Bank Stadium. About an hour afterward, the U.S. national team's starting center back and new Milan signee spoke with a small group of journalists in the humid tunnels outside the locker rooms, discussing his move to Serie A, his return to play in the state where he grew up and the dramatic goal that almost was.

Maybe the most under-reported aspect of the U.S. national team's run to the Confederations Cup final last month was that, given the spotlight, a couple of American players probably earned themselves some nice European paydays. Nowhere was this more evident than starting central defender Oguchi Onyewu, especially after his epic performance in the U.S.'s 2-0 win over-then FIFA No. 1 Spain in the tournament semifinals.

All of the post-Confederations Cup scuttlebutt surrounding Onyewu, who was out of contract at Belgian champ Standard Liege, were moves to lower-tier Premier League clubs and some far-flung Turkish teams. So Tuesday's announcement that the 6-foot-4 Maryland native signed with Italian giants AC Milan on a three-year contract comes as a pleasant surprise for U.S. fans since it's a far cry from a pre-Confederations Cup link to Birmingham City.

MILAN (AP) - United States defender Oguchi Onyewu has joined AC Milan on a three-year contract the club said Tuesday, becoming the first American to join Serie A in more than 10 years.

Milan acquired Onyewu from Standard Liege in Belgium after some outstanding performances in the United States' run to the Confederations Cup final. The U.S. lost 3-2 to Brazil in the final.

Financial details of the transfer were not disclosed.

The Story So Far: Filippo Inzaghi found himself in the way of an Andrea Pirlo freekick in the waning moments of the first half and deflected the ball into the net, giving Milan a 1-0 lead against the run of play. Jermaine Pennant has dominated the right flank but Liverpool forwards have been useless thus far. Kaka was largely invisible but drew the foul that led to the goal.

At halftime, Smythe suggests Harry Kewell coming in for Zenden, but he's been suggesting that since the 30 minute mark. What about Crouch? I don't understand: Pennant is crushing them on the right so why not bring on your best target forward to get on the end of those crosses? It is the mystery.

In any case, with Liverpool forced to press for a goal Kaka should find the room he was denied in the first half. Hopefully we'll get an entertaining finish.

45': No changes for either side; Irishman Steve Finnan whips in a cross but there's no one on the end of it. Stadium announcers looking for the "uncle of Curtis Pennant"; Gerrard earns a corner from Nesta; nearly a penalty. Dude runs onto the pitch, prompting a delay.

47': Header from Agger harmlessly wide.

Manchester United brought a one-goal lead into the second leg of their Champions League semifinal clash with AC Milan ... among the things they did not bring, however, were pride and an ability to defend. Milan embarrassed them in every way, winning 3-0.

It's a bit of a shame ... had United been able to get even a draw, it would've set up a battle in the finals between Premier League rivals Manchester United and Liverpool. I guess everyone's entitled to an off day every now and then, but to me at least, Milan vs. Liverpool is a far less appealing final. I'll still watch, but ... not with a ton of excitement.

Anyway, I don't know what United's deal was. They looked more like Scunthorpe United than Manchester United today ... they were timid, they had no rhythm, they looked like they were playing scared. They rarely resembled the team they usually are.

It's time for a quick United recovery ... they can wrap up the Premiership this weekend with a win in the Manchester Derby, and a little help from Arsenal against Chelsea. The chances of them looking this brutal two games in a row, I believe, are pretty slim.

For better or worse, diving is a part of soccer. It is, sadly, a skill. Some guys are good at it, some guys are not. Above, you see AC Milan striker Alberto Gilardino. Alberto Gilardino, in this particular instance, anyway ... is not very good at it.

Either that, or he's got some kind of a strange muscle synapse delay thing. You can count four full steps between the contact and the flop. It was like he wanted to keep his feet until he was sure he couldn't score, and then go to the old swan dive. After that, the audacity to complain about getting yellow-carded is just icing on the cake.

That's an all-time great call, too, by the announcer ... referring to the dive as occurring "almost posthumously." Throw in "outrageous," "deserves censure, if not ridicule," and "disgraceful," and that's fine broadcasting work.