In the other Group G game, Besiktas beat Sparta Prague 1-0 on an 82nd minute goal by Ronaldo Guiaro. Chelsea has nine points, Besiktas six, Lazio and Sparta four.
"We've got a great team spirit, and it was a great performance," Chelsea defender John Terry said. "We're getting better each game we play."
Milan, missing injured striker Filippo Inzaghi, had key defender Alessandro Nesta sent off in the 37th minute for a second yellow card. But rising Brazilian star Kaka netted in the 85th to give the red-and-black a needed win. Kaka volleyed brilliantly from the edge of the penalty area.
"Even with 10 men, this club realizes the importance of this cup, which we won last year and want to win this year, too," said Milan head coach Carlo Ancelotti. "We deserved this victory. We began with some errors. With 10 men, we were more attentive."
Milan, which lost to Brugge in the last rotation, has seven points in Group H. Ajax has six, and Celta Vigo five. Brugge has four.
"We still have to close out the group," Ancelotti said.
Celta Vigo downed Ajax 3-2. Peter Luccin (25), Savo Milosevic (38) and Rogerio Vagner (62nd) scored for the Spaniards. Wesley Sonck (53) and Rafael Van der Vaart (81) scored for Ajax.
Today, Juventus -- the only team with a perfect record -- visits Real Sociedad, and Olympiakos hosts Galatasaray in Group D. Juventus has nine points, three more than Sociedad. Galatasaray, expected to battle for second with Sociedad, has three. Olympiakos has lost all three matches.
Arsenal and Inter Milan hope to rebound in Group B. Arsenal -- unbeaten in England -- plays Dynamo Kiev, having lost 2-1 in the last rotation. Inter, humbled 3-0 by Lokomotiv Moscow, takes on the Russians at home. Inter and Kiev have six points, Moscow four and Arsenal just one.
Bayern Munich, struggling in the Bundesliga, leads Group A with five points. Lyon and Anderlecht have four, and Celtic three. Bayern hosts Lyon, and Celtic -- perfect in four Champions League home games -- is at home to Anderlecht.
The top teams in Group C meet. Monaco, which lost to Deportivo La Coruna in the last rotation, hosts the Spaniards. Deportivo has seven points, Monaco six, PSV Eindhoven three and AEK Athens one.
The fifth rotation is scheduled for Nov. 25 and 26.
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