Champions League Group H wrap: Milan steal point at Barca

Thiago Silva scored a late equaliser for AC Milan to deny reigning champions Barcelona an opening-day win in the Champions League.

The Brazilian left it late but rose highest to power home a towering header in the 93rd minute as it ended 2-2 in the Group H encounter at Camp Nou.

Pato had Barcelona on the back foot when he put the Italian champions ahead within 30 seconds before Pedro tapped home an equaliser.

Brazilian Pato danced through Barca’s defence to slide a delightful finish past Victor Valdes in goal, but the advantage was not to last with Lionel Messi creating for Pedro after shaving the post himself just minutes before.

Pedro’s 36th-minute strike came on the back of a sustained period of pressure from Pep Guardiola’s men with Messi starting to menace the Milan defence and Cesc Fabregas replacing Andreas Iniesta, who limped off.

The hosts’ dominance paid off after the interval with David Villa curling a wonderful free kick into the top corner to make it 2-1.

But the Rossoneri were not to be subdued with Silva’s late intervention securing them a vital away point.

In the Czech Republic, Champions League newcomers Viktoria Plzen were held to a 1-1 draw by Belarusian outfit BATE Borisov in the group’s other game.

Borisov did much of the early pressing to test Marek Czech in Plzen’s goal but it was to no avail with the hosts opening the scoring in front of a raucous home crowd through Marek Bakos on 45 minutes.

But the home side’s defence was left wanting in the 69th minute when Filipp Rudik found Renan Bressan who made no mistake with his left-foot shot inside the box.

Plzen went closest to a winner with shots late on but both sides were good value for the point.