EUROPEAN Cup champions AC Milan showed their class and versatility when they gunned down Brazil's Vasco da Gama 3-2 at the Shenzhen Sports Stadium last night.
A noisy and enthusiastic capacity crowd of 30,000 were treated to a thoroughly entertaining display from two world-class teams.
Colourful spectators waved huge banners and beat drums to the accompaniment of a 30-piece band as the match was televised live throughout China to an estimated audience of 100 million.
Fresh from last month's European Cup success, in which they thrashed Spanish champs Barcelona 4-0, the boys from Milan continued where they left off - by winning, but only just.
In the end, the Italian Serie A champions escaped an unlikely defeat by the Rio State champions, who had one goal disallowed and no less than four shots which came off the woodwork.
The Brazilians were down 3-0 late in the second half but remarkably pulled back two goals with a late flourish as the hot and humid conditions began to take their toll on the Europeans.
