Milito struck twice, in the 35th and 70th minutes, according to a report at ESPN.com, and handed Inter Milan the crown on the first league championship game ever held on a weekend.
It's Inter Milan's third European title, with the others coming in back-to-back years in '64 and '65. The broadcast was the first of the league championship by a U.S. "over the air network," according to the same ESPN.com report.
The contest was the perfect build-up for this summer's World Cup, and that is likely why it found its way to national airwaves. ESPN has admittedly ramped up its soccer coverage over the last year or so, often airing European league games live on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and the recent showdown no doubt was to help inspire interest in the big summer event set to kick off in just a few weeks.
Though soccer will likely never gain a strong foothold along the lines of the four major professional sports, it appears to be gaining a bit of steam in the U.S. of late. The MLS season is underway, and this afternoon's New England Revolution vs. Toronto FC game drew a sellout crowd. And international soccer has been easier to find on your local programming dial in recent months.
This summer, of course, is the culmination, as the United States will look to make a run in the World Cup after receiving something of a favorable draw in the opening round. ESPN will be airing the games beginning early in June.
So consider Saturday's Champions League final an appetizer. But the main course isn't far behind
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