Holder AC Milan held to 0-0 draw in Prague

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) -- Defending European champion AC Milan drew 0-0 with Sparta Prague in the first leg of the Champions League's second round on Tuesday.

"We had a good start ... but we came under pressure in the second half," Sparta coach Jiri Kotrba said. "(Milan) proved their superb qualities. The result is acceptable for us."

The Czech side, a clear underdog in the knock-out stage of the Champions League, took the initiative at early stages and created a few chances.

Striker Jiri Stajner eluded Paolo Maldini at the right edge of the area and Brazilian goalkeeper Dida had to use both fists to block his right foot effort in the sixth minute.

Two minutes later, Milan's defense failed to clear a corner kick properly and Pavel Pergl's powerful shot from outside the area went just wide.

Sparta captain Karel Poborsky tested Dida again in the 12th minute with a long-distance drive, forcing him dive to his right to save.

The defending champions threatened for the first time in the 19th minute with striker Filippo Inzaghi fouling defender Petr Johana but failing to beat Sparta 'keeper Jaromir Blazek, who raced off the line to save his shot from close range.

Three minutes before the interval, Milan's Brazilian defender Cafu broke down the right flank, leaving three opponents behind, but Sparta's defense blocked his low cross.

The Italian powerhouse became dominant in the second, creating a couple of chances around the hour mark. Striker Andriy Shevchenko, who lined up with Inzaghi, collected a neat pass from Clarence Seedorf in the 57th minute but Blazek won one-on-one.

Shevchenko struck again three minutes later with a volley from 20 meters (yards) but was denied by Blazek.

Milan continued to press but its strikers squandered their best chance in the 72nd minute. After Giuseppe Pancaro's fierce header off an Andrea Pirlo free kick cross, both Shevchenko and Inzaghi failed to send home the rebound.

Sparta midfielder Lukas Zelenka attempted to reply in a rare counterattack six minutes before the final whistle, but Dida managed to block his low sharp shot from 18 meters (yards), giving his team a commanding position before the second leg match scheduled in Milan for March 10.

Summary

Sparta Prague 0 AC Milan 0 - result

Champions League, first knockout round, first leg

Attendance; 20,640

Teams

Sparta Prague: 29-Jaromir Blazek; 4-Pavel Pergl, 16-Tomas Huebschman, 17-Petr Johana, 3-Vladimir Labant; 8-Karel Poborsky, 15-Radoslav Kovac, 7-Lukas Zelenka (2-Tomas Sivok 90), 10-Rastislav Michalik; 27-Igor Gluscevic (23-Miroslav Baranek, 74), 24-Jiri Stajner (13-Vladimir Gluscevic, 85).

AC Milan: 12-Dida; 2-Cafu, 19-Alessandro Costacurta, 3-Paolo Maldini, 26-Giuseppe Pancaro; 8-Gennaro Gattuso, 21-Andrea Pirlo, 20-Clarence Seedorf; 22-Kaka; 9-Filippo Inzaghi (27-Serginho 85), 7-Andriy Shevchenko.

Referee: Graham Poll (England)

Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.