A Dennis Wise goal thirteen minutes from time gave Chelsea a precious Champions League point in an evenly balanced 1-1 draw in the San Siro on Tuesday.

The little midfield dynamo rushed onto Roberto Di Matteo's pass to hit a left-foot shot into the net, to register an equalising goal that, owing to Galatasaray's resounding victory over Hertha Berlin, makes Vialli's mens' passage into the last sixteen a distinct possibility. The West London outfit now need just a point to qualify for the latter stages.

Chelsea started one of the most important games in their history in confident mood, with Gustavo Poyet, Tore Andre Flo and Gianfranco Zola. Flo had a snapshot from 15 yards, the first of the game, which goalkeeper Christian Abbiati fumbled, with the presence of the tall Norwegian seeming to trouble the Italian 'keeper.

Then Dennis Wise's simple square ball fed Flo who helped it on to the unmarked Petrescu. Unfortunately for the travelling 4,500 Chelsea fans Abbiati scrambled to save with his feet.

The massive San Siro hordes were nervous and the Blues grew in confidence Andriy Shevchenko let Didier Deschamps know he was around and back came Milan. The Zola-Maldini confrontation was a delight for the purist. The little Sardinian, clad in blue, wriggled and twisted like a raccoon in a hunter's trap but Maldini chaparoned him without invitation in typically dogged fashion.

Milan weren't really delivering anything in the final third but they were beginning to win a worrying number of free-kicks less than 30 yards out.

Shevchenko's place-kick curler was a warning for Vialli's men - beautifully struck and only inches wide. The Ukranian hit-man needed the full attentions of Frank Leboeuf as Chelsea's defence managed to nullify his menacing run into the box by a whisker.

Moments later, Ambrosini's piledriver was deflected over by Deschamps Serghino's free-kick was headed inches wide again by Shevchenko who really was threatening a goal.

If the Milan attack was a shower earlier on in the half it was a full on downpour as the minutes ticked by. However, rare respite for Chelsea. Ferrer broke down the right and hit a superb right-foot shot from 25 yards Abbiati did well to tip over.

Flo won a free-kick and nearly finished off the loose ball that Poyet's promptings elicited from a rare sloppy moment in the Rossenari rearguard.

Then two chances for Milan: the first a Leonardo half-volley that whistled inches wide, the second when Shevchenko brought a fine save off De Goey. Zola was booked as his petulance got the better of him, signs that perhaps Maldini's imperious defending was beginning to frustrate him.

In the second period, the game slowed down and Chelsea ceded more ground. Milan were turning the screw. On came Jody Morris for Petrescu and he struggled to find his feet in the face of such exalted midfield company Ambrosini's brilliant volley brought a fine one-handed save from De Goey on 58 minutes.

The game became scrappy, but Chelsea were equal defensively to everything Boban or Massimo could muster for Shevchenko or Oliver Bierhoff.

However, a bursting left-flank run from Brazilian Serghino led to the the former Sao Paulo defender flighting a perfect cross onto Bierhoff's head. As so many opposition teams have found with the former German choir boy, he often nets religiously.

Vialli's men were level within three minutes, and all credit to them. Substitute Roberto Di Matteo, putting himself firmly in the Serie-A shop window, lofted a superb pass to Dennis Wise and the Stamford Bridge captain held his nerve to slot home from twelve yards.

The visitors had put themselves in a position that they were not going to surrender, and as Milan ran out of ideas and the restlesness of the home fans transmitted to Milanese mistakes, Chelsea almost snatched a victory through Flo.

AC Milan: Abbiati, Costacurta, Ayala, Maldini, Guly, Gattuso, Ambrosini, Leonardo (Boban 57), Serginho (Orlandini 86), Bierhoff, Shevchenko.
Subs Not Used: Rossi, Helveg, De Ascentis, N'gotty, Sala.
Booked: Ambrosini, Ayala, Leonardo, Costacurta. Goals: Bierhoff 74.