Shevchenko slotted the winning penalty More photos from Old Trafford

AC Milan claimed their sixth European Cup triumph and their first in nine seasons after edging out Juventus in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out at Old Trafford.

After two hours of stalemate, even penalties struggled to separate the Serie A rivals on a night of high drama.

Andriy Shevchenko kept his nerve to fire home the winning penalty after five of the first seven spot-kicks had been saved.

Despite the scoreline, any fears that this all-Italian final would be a negative affair were instantly dispelled as both teams pushed to claim first blood.

For an hour, the final was captivating, but for the first 20 minutes it was scintilating.

PENALTY SHOOT-OUT Juventus 0-0 Milan (Trezeguet misses) Juventus 0-1 Milan (Serginho scores) Juventus 1-1 Milan (Birindelli scores) Juventus 1-1 Milan (Seedorf misses) Juventus 1-1 Milan (Zalayeta misses) Juventus 1-1 Milan (Kaladze misses) Juventus 1-1 Milan (Montero misses) Juventus 1-2 Milan (Nesta scores) Juventus 2-2 Milan (Del Piero scores) Juventus 2-3 Milan (Shevchenko scores)

Shevchenko thought he had made the breakthrough inside eight minutes when his deflected shot flew past Gianluigi Buffon.

But, with Rui Costa standing directly in an offside position, referee Markus Merk had little option other than to acknowledge his assistant's instant observation.

Shevchenko took an age to notice the raised flag and his instant deflation was almost compunded within two minutes.

David Trezeguet escaped the shackles of the Milan defence but should have done better than to head wide from Lilian Thuram's pin-point cross.

The breathless start continued on 17 minutes when Buffon, the world's most expensive keeper, pushed his street value up another notch with a stunning save.

Shevchenko, who looked at his most dangerous when he peeled into wide positions, whipped in a dangerous cross and Filippo Inzaghi's diving header looked destined for the net until Buffon's sublime intervention.

The Juve keeper, though, was struggling to reach Rui Costa's shot shortly before half-time and was grateful to see the Portuguese striker's effort fly wide after Andrea Pirlo set him up. Milan's clear dominance of the opening half was hardly in keeping with the script written for these two rivals, though the goalless scoreline clearly was.

The passing and slick interplay from both teams was predictably first-class but, crucially, so too was the tackling.

THE FRANTIC START 8 mins: Shevchenko's deflected strike ruled out for offside 10 mins: Trezeguet heads wide - but should have hit the target 17 mins: Stunning Buffon save denies Inzaghi

Marcelo Lippi, clearly unhappy at seeing his attempts to repeat his 1996 win with Juventus stifled, opted for a tactical half-time rethink.

And the introduction of Antonio Conte almost paid instant dividends.

His diving header within two minutes of coming on rattled the crossbar - and clearly rattled the opposition. For 15 minutes of the second half everything Juve tried went through Conteh as Juve began to wrestle the initiative.

But it was an enforced Juventus substitution which was to prove more crucial.

The inspirational Edgar Davids, hungrier and far more influential than his Dutch international team-mate Clarence Seedorf for Milan, was forced off injured with 25 minutes left.

With Pavel Nedved already out through suspension and defender Igor Tudor having succumbed to a first-half hamstring injury, Juve's offensive resources were stretched beyond repair.

HAVE YOUR SAY What a final - and what a finish! Congratulazioni AC Milan From Domi Join the 606 debate

Though Inzaghi wasted a late chance to win it when he bundled over with Buffon flailing, the game degenerated to a stalemate, with both defences dominating.

Penalties were inevitable, but even they struggled to separate the sides as goalkeepers Buffon and Dida excelled.

But Alessandro Nesta and Alessandro Del Piero traded kicks before Shevchenko cooly slotted the crucial final kick.

AC Milan: Dida, Costacurta, Nesta, Maldini, Kaladze, Gattuso, Rui Costa, Seedorf, Pirlo, Shevchenko, Inzaghi. Subs: Abbiati, Rivaldo, Ambrosini, Laursen, Roque Junior, Serginho, Brocchi.

Juventus: Buffon, Ferrara, Montero, Tudor, Zambrotta, Thuram, Tacchinardi, Davids, Camoranesi, Del Piero, Trezeguet. Subs: Chimenti, Pessotto, Conte, Iuliano, Birindelli, Di Vaio, Zalayeta.

Referee: Markus Merk (Germany)