MILAN, Italy -- Atletico Madrid struggled throughout but managed to win 1-0 at AC Milan thanks to a late Diego Costa header in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie on Wednesday. wholesale nfl jerseys . Diego Costa headed in Gabis corner seven minutes from time to secure victory ahead of the return match in Madrid on March 11. "We know that at Madrid it will be another game, which will also be important and very difficult," Milan coach Clarence Seedorf said. "Atletico dont change much whether theyre playing at home or away from home. "We have time to prepare the return leg and well have more players back. Im proud of what we did tonight... I saw a lot of positive things on the pitch." Bayern Munich won 2-0 at 10-man Arsenal in the other match of the night. Both teams missed a penalty in the first half, which also saw Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny sent off. Milan had dominated the match with its best performance of the season, hitting the woodwork three times in an entertaining first half hour. "We are a normal team, a very humble one which tries to do as well as we can," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. "We started better but then Milan caused us problems. "We didnt have many chances but as you know in football what matters is scoring goals and fortunately we scored a goal." Spains joint league leader was the overwhelming favourite but Milan was the superior side and had the better chances in Seedorfs first Champions League match as a manager. The Dutchman is the only player to have won the competition with three different clubs. There was more bad news on the night for Milan as star striker Mario Balotelli went off clutching his shoulder 12 minutes from time. The Italy forward will have tests on Thursday. Milan was boosted by key playmaker Kaka recovering from injury in time and the Brazilian was given the captains armband. Kaka overcame a bout of flu to play in Fridays 1-0 victory over Bologna but had to be replaced 10 minutes from time after injuring his right ankle. Stephan El Shaarawy, Valter Birsa, Robinho, Bryan Cristante and Cristian Zapata were all out with injury while Sulley Muntari and captain Riccardo Montolivo were both suspended. New signing Keisuke Honda is cup tied. Milan was the underdog after a miserable season which saw coach Massimiliano Allegri sacked at the beginning of the year. The side is ninth in the Serie A table and had been eliminated in each of its past four knockout ties against Spanish opposition. It appeared as if Milans fears were to be realized as the players struggled to get out of their own half in the opening 10 minutes. However, Milan was containing Atletico and slowly began to get into the game. Balotelli had the first real chance of the match with a 30-meter free-kick from roughly the same position that he scored a stunning goal from on Friday. But the Italy forward fired well wide of the left post. Milan went even closer four minutes later with a wickedly swerving shot from Kaka from the bottom corner of the penalty area which crashed off the crossbar. Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois -- who is on loan from Chelsea -- pulled off a stunning save shortly afterwards, fingertipping Andrea Polis header off the base of his right post after a great cross from Adel Taarabt. Tension was beginning to escalate at San Siro and a touchline brawl threatened to erupt following a poor Emiliano Insua tackle on Mattia De Scglio. The Milan defender had to be replaced by Ignazio Abate. Milan again went close on the half hour when Balotelli backeeled the ball to Kaka, whose effort scraped the top of the crossbar. Milan continued to dominate after the break and Kaka again went close with a drive narrowly past the left upright, while Michael Essien headed a corner wide. All Milans good work was to come to nothing, though, as Diego Costa headed powerfully home at the far post for his fifth goal in four Champions League matches. Milan almost snatched a draw but Adil Ramis free kick whistled wide of the left post.cheap jerseys . This week they discuss Edmonton leaking oil, quiet diplomacy in soccer, taking charge of the Lakers and that "Minor League Guy on Third". cheap jerseys from china . The Suns pulled away with a 23-3 run and went on to beat the NBAs worst road team, the Orlando Magic, 109-93 on Wednesday night. http://www.wholesalenfljerseysplay.com/ . Bynum participated in the teams shootaround at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Friday morning as the Pacers prepared for their game against Portland on Friday night.ST. LOUIS -- By Sunday morning, most everyone had become an expert on the obstruction rule. "How can u make a call like that in the World Series," rapper Lil Wayne tweeted. "Worst ending to a World Series game ever!" PGA golfer Hunter Mahan posted. "Obstruction of justice," Arizona Cardinals kicker Jay Feely wrote. No matter that the Official Baseball Rules have a slightly different take on what happened when St. Louis runner Allen Craig tripped over Boston third baseman Will Middlebrooks in Game 3 late Saturday night. But anytime someone scores the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning without even touching home plate -- called safe on an extremely rare ruling by an umpire -- its bound to cause a little ruckus. "Umps made the right call last night. I still put my fist thru the wall. And Im in a hotel so it was expensive," comedian and Massachusetts native Denis Leary tweeted. All sides seemed to agree on this point: Allen Craig tripping over Boston third baseman Will Middlebrooks likely made for the most crazy, chaotic October finish of all-time. And it gave St. Louis a 5-4 win at Busch Stadium and a 2-1 edge. "As a baseball fan, you hate to see a game end like that," pitcher Adam Wainwright said Sunday before Game 4. "Obviously Im on the Cardinals, so Im fortunate the rule is the way it is. And you hate to say it, but he impeded the process of running home." "But I totally understand why Red Sox players would be upset about that. That is just a horrible way to lose a baseball game, no question about it," he said. Said Red Sox manager John Farrell: "It wasnt a normal night of sleep, I know that." For more than a century, the World Series has delivered dramatic endings -- Kirk Gibsons homer, Carlton Fisks shot, David Freeses drive on this very same field in 2011. There have been plenty of kooky plays -- Reggie Jackson turning his hip to get hit by a throw, Roger Clemens throwing part of a broken bat toward Mike Piazza, an out in the 1970 Series when the catcher missed the runner and the runner missed the plate. But no one had seen anything quite like this. "Never," umpire crew chief John Hirschbeck said. "Never," third base umpire Jim Joyce said after making the call. Said Craig: "I didnt know if I was out or safe or not." Craig was awarded home after getting tangled with Middlebrooks. A wild throw set off the sequence, and Middlebrooks was sprawleed in the baseline and kicked up his legs as Craig tripped over him. cheap nfl jerseys. Running on a banged-up foot, Craig headed home and the throw by left fielder Daniel Nava beat him. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia made the tag in plenty of time and Craig never reached the plate. But umpire Dana DeMuth signalled safe, having seen Joyces call at third base. Both teams immediately rushed to the plate. Middlebrooks threw down his glove and joined the Boston argument. The Cardinals came out to celebrate. The fans took awhile to react, unsure of what theyd just witnessed. "I think maybe 75 per cent of the guys didnt know what happened," Cardinals star Carlos Beltran said. "I wasnt sure why he was called safe," Middlebrooks said. Middlebrooks said any contact was accidental. Doesnt matter, though. The play is covered by Rule 2.00 and Rule 7.06, and makes it clear that obstruction is called anytime a runner is impeded. "It does not have to be intent. There does not have to be intent. OK?" Hirschbeck said. Not OK, Boston pitcher Jake Peavy said. "Its a joke," Peavy groused. Farrell was more forgiving. "You know what, the call was made correctly. The umpires -- Jim Joyce, Dana DeMuth -- that call was made as it should have been," he said Sunday. How rare was it? The last time a big league game ended on an obstruction call was 2004, when umpire Paul Emmel said Seattle shortstop Jose Lopez blocked Carl Crawfords sightline. Emmel was the first base umpire Saturday night. Longtime Red Sox fans remember a noncall that went against them in the 1975 World Series. In Game 3, Cincinnatis Ed Armbrister bunted in the 10th inning and bumped into catcher Carlton Fisk. There was no interference called, Fisk made a wild throw and Joe Morgan hit a winning single. Watching from the dugout Saturday night, St. Louis manager Mike Matheny wasnt sure what to think. Matheny had seen umpires reverse a call in Game 1 that cost the Cardinals. Hed seen Craig trip and was ready to argue. And he also saw Craig down in the dirt after re-injuring his foot. "We were wanting to celebrate, but we see a guy laying there and its all confusing," Matheny said Sunday. "And we see the umpires come together, and that didnt work out real good for us last time." "We got inside the clubhouse, and it was still kind of that sombre mood," he said. "And Chris Carpenter yelled out real loud, Hey, boys, we just won a World Series game!" cheap jerseys ' ' '
