Milan beats Brescia 3-1 in Italian Cup

Manuel Rui Costa scored one goal and set up another, leading AC Milan over second-division Brescia 3-1 in a fourth-round Italian Cup match Tuesday. It was the first of four first-leg, fourth-round matches scheduled this week.

The Milan side, starting several reserve players ahead of Saturday's league match against Chievo Verona and next week's decisive Champions League game with Schalke, opened the scoring in the 26th minute on a right-footed drive of Rui Costa. Striker Alberto Gilardino added another in the 40th with a header off a corner kick.

Marius Stenkevicius revived Brescia hopes scoring in the 48th but veteran Christian Vieri sealed Milan's victory making with a powerful shot from 10 meters on an assist by Rui Costa in the 69th. It was Vieri's second goal with AC Milan since he joined the club in the offseason from crosstown rival Inter.

Milan was without its regular defense line and also played without injured midfielder Kaka and strikers Andriy Shevchenko and Filippo Inzaghi. The match at San Siro stadium started five minutes late and a banner reading "No To Racism" was unfurled at midfield, the Italian soccer federation's response, to be displayed at all Italian Cup and Serie A matches this week, to racial taunts at a game in Messina on Sunday. Groups of Inter Milan fans shouted racial insults and jeered Messina Ivory Coast defender Marc Andre Zoro. The Milan club, which won the match 2-1, apologized to the player, AP reports.

A. A.