MD30:Udinese - Milan

[Jager]

Udinese - Milan

Stadio Friuli

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Udinese and Milan will be looking to put their disappointment from the last few weeks behind them when they come face to face at the Stadio Friuli. Their chances of reaching their respective aims for the season may look slim, but both will know they need to pick up as many wins as possible in the remainder of their campaigns to secure their current positions.

The Rossoneri’s draw with Juventus may have effectively ended their title hopes but they still have plenty to play for. The gap between them and the Old Lady may be 10 points but just two separate them from city rivals Inter in the hunt for automatic qualification for the Champions League group stage.

A loss of concentration could easily see the Diavolo suffer the humiliation of the less than glamorous qualifying rounds and almost certainly leave Coach Carlo Ancelotti’s already precarious position hanging in the balance. Unfortunately they will be without some key players for this encounter, especially in their much-criticised defence. Marcos Cafu and Paolo Maldini are both injured and Gennaro Gattuso’s sending off against Juve means he is suspended along with Jaap Stam.

Udinese’s season just keeps getting worse. Since their early Champions League disappointment they were greeted by the prospect of mid-table mediocrity and now the very real possibility of relegation to Serie B. A dreadful run of results has seen them go eight matches without a win and put their top-flight status in jeopardy.

Only two points currently separates the Zebrette from the bottom three and the Coaching duo of Nestor Sensini and Loris Dominissini will have been concerned to see fellow strugglers Cagliari, Messina and Empoli all win at the weekend. Unless the Friuli outfit can turn their form around they could soon find that the unthinkable has become a reality.



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Udinese: De Sanctis; Bertotto, Natali, Zapata; Zenoni, Obodo, Baronio, Muntari, Candela; Iaquinta, Di Natale

Milan: Dida; Simic, Nesta, Kaladze, Serginho; Vogel, Pirlo, Seedorf; Kaka; Shevchenko, Gilardino

Ref: To follow...

http://www.channel4.com/sport/footba...6/udi-mil.html

[TheDevil]

Usually a tough fixture, but I think we will win this with few difficulties.

[Jager]

Udinese 0 - 4 Milan
Shevchenko 41, 65 (M), Gilardino 60 (M), Seedorf 71 (M)
Stadio Friuli

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Milan ran riot at the Stadio Friuli, as Udinese slide further towards the relegation zone.

The Rossoneri's main focus now was to hang on to second place, but Udinese desperately needed points to avoid sliding into the relegation zone following their midweek UEFA Cup exit. Marcos Cafu, Paolo Maldini and the suspended duo of Gennaro Gattuso and Jaap Stam were out of action, while the Friuli side were without a win in eight games and still looking for their first Serie A victory under Coaches Nestor Sensini and Loris Dominissini.

Milan benchwarmer Marcio Amoroso was given a warm welcome by the fans, having scored 39 goals in three seasons - including a Capocannoniere title - with Udinese. Alessandro 'Billy' Costacurta started at right-back just five weeks before his 40th birthday.

The Rossoneri couldn't have gone much closer to opening the scoring after seven minutes, as Andrea Pirlo's free kick from 20 metres thumped the crossbar.

Sulley Ali Muntari was booked for a sliding tackle on Alessandro Nesta and Udinese also went close with a spectacular Antonio Di Natale scissor-kick volley that was deflected off target by Johann Vogel.

Vincenzo Iaquinta's glancing header drifted wide of the upright, while Dida smothered a Di Natale shot from distance.

Milan, and in particular Kaka, struggled to get into the game during the first half, but Alberto Gilardino had a goal correctly disallowed for an offside position on 36 minutes.

Dida was at full stretch to smother a Iaquinta strike after Kakha Kaladze slipped on the edge of his own penalty area.

It was an Udinese error that gifted Milan the opening goal after 41 minutes. Morgan De Sanctis intercepted a Rossoneri move with his feet, but stumbled and effectively handed the ball to Shevchenko for a comfortable finish from nine yards.

De Sanctis made up for his error moments later with a fine save on Gilardino's volley from a Pirlo long pass, as the shot-stopper stuck out a leg to block the ball.

Vincent Candela's scuffed effort was smothered by Dida, but Milan doubled their lead on the hour mark. Gilardino sprung the offside trap on Costacurta's pass and placed his shot past De Sanctis. However, replays suggest the ex-Parma man was in an irregular position.

Shevchenko made it 3-0 soon after, as he ran on to Gilardino's smart backheel and sidefooted into the far corner. Gilardino clattered into Felipe during the build-up and both players required treatment.

The Rossoneri were in total control and made it 4-0 with Clarence Seedorf finishing off an impressive team move with a right-foot finish.

Marcio Amoroso was given his Serie A debut in a Milan jersey and did so in front of his old fans.

Dida put the clean sheet at risk in the closing stages, as he fumbled a seemingly harmless free kick, but the goalkeeper was able to recover.


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Udinese: De Sanctis; Zapata, Natali, Felipe; Zenoni, Obodo, Muntari, Candela, Pieri (Barreto 64); Iaquinta, Di Natale (Vidigal 78)

Milan: Dida; Costacurta, Nesta, Kaladze, Serginho; Vogel (Ambrosini 73), Pirlo, Seedorf (Jankulovski 79); Kaka; Shevchenko (Amoroso 73), Gilardino

Ref: Trefoloni

http://www.channel4.com/sport/footba...6/udi-mil.html

[kennethlindheim]

From Champions League to a relegation fight. Not the season Udinese were hoping for.
Good win for Milan though.

[Jager]

Geez, you summed it up nicely. What a disaster eh?

[kennethlindheim]

Udinese should be doing better even with the losses of Pizarro, Jankulovski, Di Michele and Spalletti.

[TheDevil]

I think I will dwell on my great club, and how nicely they have rebounded back from their terrible first half.

Playing great, smart football.