Shevchenko settles Milan nerves as holders progress

The Ukraine forward Andriy Shevchenko scored twice for the European champions Milan in a 4-1 win over Sparta Prague yesterday, moving the Italians into the Champions' League quarter-finals after the first leg ended goalless.

The Ukraine forward Andriy Shevchenko scored twice for the European champions Milan in a 4-1 win over Sparta Prague yesterday, moving the Italians into the Champions' League quarter-finals after the first leg ended goalless.

At the end of a nervous first half, Milan broke the deadlock with Filippo Inzaghi angled header from Cafu's right-wing cross.

Sparta drew level in the 59th minute through the substitute Tomas Jun who slid home a Rastislav Michalik pass, just two minutes after being brought on, to put the Czechs ahead on away goals. The tension in San Siro increased and the holders briefly had one foot out of the exit door after Jun's valuable away goal.

But Milan quickly restored their advantage when Shevchenko headed home a Giuseppe Pancaro cross and then the striker made sure of Milan's place in the last eight with a confident finish in the 79th minute after being put through by a defence splitting pass from Kaka.

Five minutes from the end midfielder Gennaro Gattuso thumped home a fourth goal with a 20 metre shot which deflected in off the Sparta defender Petr Johana.

The French league leaders Monaco joined Milan in the quarter-finals, winning on away goals after beating 10-man Lokomotiv Moscow in an edgy 1-0 encounter yesterday.

Monaco go through with a 2-2 aggregate draw, with Fernando Morientes' goal in their first-leg 2-1 defeat in Moscow eventually proving vital.

A solitary goal, after 60 minutes, by the Croatian forward Dado Prso enabled Monaco to take their place in Friday's draw. Earlier Monaco were awarded a penalty but Prso pushed his shot on to the post on 18 minutes.

Lokomotiv were reduced to 10 players when their captain Dmitri Loskov was sent off on 22 minutes for his second bookable offence.