With one minute remaining, Milan have a throw deep in their own area which Kessie uses to clear his lines, but fails to get it out of the Milan half. Jankto attempts to cross the ball from the right, but the ball was bouncing and the midfielder was off-balance, and the centring effort immediately goes out behind Donnarumma’s goal.
90' +1
The referee has indicated there will be an additional three minutes of added time at the end of this match.
90'
Suso attempts to go underneath the wall and surprise Bizzarri, but the wall stands firm and the ball ricochets back into the midfield. Milan quickly send it forward again and a great Kessie cross is met by the tall Kalinic, but his effort pops over the crossbar allowing Bizzarri and the Udinese defence to once again breathe.
88'
Bigia wins a free-kick after an over-zealous challenge by substitute Andrija Balic leaves the Argentine midfielder on the floor. Upon taking the set-piece, Kalinic is brought down by Danilo just outside the penalty area, giving the Rossoneri another free-kick, this one just outside the area.
85'
Danilo gets yellow.
Danilo receives a yellow card stemming from Udinese’s corner. Borini, after blocking the shot, set off on a counter-attack but the captain of the home side tugged back the Italian winger before he could make significant strides in the Udinese half. It was a professional foul but certainly warrants a card.
83'
Udinese win a corner with less than 10 minutes to play in normal time. The ball makes its way to the back post but Borini is there to block the Barak attempt. Last-ditch defending by a Milan side who started the match so well, but have been under extreme pressure since Calabria’s sending off.
79'
F. Borini enters the game and replaces H. Çalhanoğlu.
Gennaro Gattuso makes his final substitution, as Fabio Borini is brought on to replace Hakan Calhanoglu. No doubt Borini’s work-rate and ability to play both winger and wing-back was in the managers mind as he sent him on.
76'
G. Donnarumma is unfortunate, scores an own goal!
UDINESE HAVE DRAWN LEVEL! Off-balance, Kevin Lasagna sends in a chip which takes a slight deflection off Bonucci, off of the unexpecting hand of Donnarumma and into the back of the net! The goal seemed to be coming, but not quite in that fashion. Officially the goal is ruled as a Gianluigi Donnarumma own goal, but Kevin Lasagna’s endeavour created the parity.
74'
A. Balić enters the game and replaces V. Behrami.
Massimo Oddo takes one last roll of the dice and removes Valon Behrami in favour of 20-year old Croatian midfield starlet Andrija Balic.
73'
N. Kalinić enters the game and replaces André Silva.
Gattuso also switches his forwards with Nikola Kalinic replacing the woefully out-of-form Andre Silva. Kalinic’s big frame will allow Milan to hold the ball up in the attacking areas, draining the clock of precious seconds as Milan hope to maintain their clean sheet.
Minute
Description
71'
L. Antonelli enters the game and replaces G. Bonaventura.
Gennaro Gattuso is forced to shuffle his team to compensate for being a man down, and Giacamo Bonaventura is the player that makes way for left-back Luca Antonelli.
70'
How has Maxi Lopez missed that?! An initially brilliant parry from Donnarumma puts the ball right on the foot of Lopez who was waiting at the back post but the former Milan striker fails to anticipate the play and misses the net completely, putting it out for a goal-kick. Milan are very fortunate not to be level immediately after going down to 10 men.
68'
M. López enters the game and replaces R. De Paul.
D. Calabria gets a second yellow card and is sent off.
Udinese’s second switch offensive in nature as Rodrigo de Paul is removed for striker Maxi Lopez.
RED CARD FOR MILAN! Davide Calabria is shown a second yellow card for a slide tackle on Jankto in which the young full-back attempted twice to cynically bring down the midfielder. The referee made up his mind early and Calabria is deservedly sent off. Milan are down to 10 men!
67'
Milan pile on the pressure and Calhanoglu almost makes it two with a powerful shot from just outside the penalty area but a heroic block sees the effort put out for a corner kick.
65'
S. Widmer enters the game and replaces G. Pezzella.
Udinese makes the game’s first substitution, with Silvan Widmer coming on to replace Giuseppe Pezzella in midfield.
61'
A spell of head-tennis ends after a poor Silva touch in midfield lets the ball roll back to Nuytinck but Udinese promptly return the ball to Milan. Udinese have not done well in the second half keeping control of the ball, with every Milan turnover matched by a home giveaway.
58'
Complaints once again are raining down from the Udinese support towards the referee who awards the home side a corner kick instead of the free-kick just outside the area they deserved for an Abate handball. The right-back’s arm was in an unnatural position but once again the referee waives away the appeals. At the other end, Milan win themselves a corner after a Calhanoglu blast is blocked courageously by Nuytinck.
55'
Suso makes his way around the entire perimeter of the penalty area before being able to get a cross away for Andre Silva but the pass – which was completed using the Spaniard’s weaker right foot – was put too far away from goal for the Portuguese forward who did the best he could with it, but sent it well wide.
53'
Loud appeals for an Udinese penalty are waived away after Lasagna felt he was fouled by Bonucci in the penalty area after the Italian centre-back slid in to make sure the long ball ran too far for the forward. It looked as though there was contact but the referee seemed sure of his decision – and did not consult V.A.R.
51'
Suso uses his favoured left foot to whip in a ball to the back post where Bonaventura was waiting, but the effort had too much bend and it evaded every player in a Milan jersey.
50'
Valon Behrami gives Milan a free-kick for a blatant tug-back on Andre Silva who had just crossed the halfway line before being dragged from his collar. Too far to send in a meaningful cross, the set-piece is taken short and quick in order to resume play.
49'
De Paul is marked tightly by Calabria who does not give the second-striker any room to put in a cross. De Paul attempts anyways but his effort sores high over the crossbar – never giving Lasagna a chance to meet it.
46'
The home side kick us off and get the second half underway!
45'
The referee opts to not to add any additional minutes to the end of the first half and blows his whistle on the stroke of 45'.
43'
ANOTHER CHANCE TO EQUALISE! De Paul picks up the ball on the left and hooks in a cross which is met in the penalty area by a diving Lasagna – but the striker’s effort is in vain as he directs his chance past Donnarumma’s right-hand post.
41'
D. Calabria gets yellow.
Milan play themselves into danger as Donnarumma chooses to pass to his centre-back instead of kicking downfield which puts Calabria into a difficult position. The left-back is forced to commit a challenge, earning him a yellow card and giving Udinese a free-kick on the right touchline. The free-kick is cleared by Andre Silva who puts it out for a throw.
37'
Calhanoglu gets free and puts in a cross to the back-post but both Andre Silva and Bonaventura are unable to control it and get a shot off. Udinese turn defence into attack and a long-ball to Lasagna ends with a Donnarumma parry which earns the home side a corner kick.
34'
Calhanoglu curls in the set-piece looking for a teammate to get a head on it, but Bizzarri rises highest and claims the airborne pass.
33'
J. Stryger Larsen gets yellow.
The first yellow card of the evening is shown to Jens Stryger Larsen after running through the back of Bonaventura in an attempt to win the ball. Milan have a free-kick in a dangerous area and have Calhanoglu standing over it.
30'
Milan are once again enjoying a lengthy spell of possession, circulating the ball around the midfield and defence before playing in a ball to Calhanoglu who controls before spraying the ball wide to Andre Silva. The Portuguese striker who is seemingly low on confidence loses possession and allows Udinese to regain the ball in their own third.
27'
STAT: Milan have not beaten Udinese at the Dacia Arena since a 3-2 victory in 2015.
24'
Andre Silva could have doubled the advantage after Calabria’s cross into the area is flicked on over Silva’s marker but the bounce on the ball was too high and Silva’s back-to-goal header is an extremely poor effort that Bizzarri can catch comfortably at chest height.
22'
Calhanoglu on the left switches play to Suso on the right who immediately tries to cut inside and feather a cross to Silva but the marking was precise and the ball is put out for a Milan corner.
20'
Udinese once again come close to an equaliser but Lasagna’s header goes just wide of the post after some pressure was exerted on him by Calabria who was marking the striker. The home side are certainly growing into this match, but is it already too late?
18'
Franck Kessie is taken down outside of the Udinese penalty area and Milan are given a free-kick which Hakan Calhanoglu stands over. The Turkish attacking player strikes his effort well but the Udinese wall is positioned perfectly to make a block on the curler.
17'
Lasagna gets open and runs onto a ball played over the defence but the linesman’s flag immediately goes up as the Italian striker is called for offside.
15'
Milan are making a concerted effort to attack the wings and force Udinese’s three-man defence to stretch as wide as possible before cutting it into a vacated central area. Both Suso and Andre Silva have found space in the penalty area which could lead to further problems for the home side.
12'
Almost 1-1 as a fantastic give and go sequence between Lasagna and de Paul ends with the Argentine set-up man striking his shot well wide from just outside Donnarumma’s penalty area. That is certainly a wasted chance, as Udinese could have gone level after conceding under five minutes ago.
9'
Suso has scored a goal for AC Milan! Assist by F. Kessié.
Franck Kessie is given the assist as it was his pass who put Suso in position to strike the ball.
ABSOLUTELY STUNNING FROM SUSO TO OPEN THE SCORING! His sixth goal of the season is a stunning strike from far outside the penalty area. With two men marking the Spaniard, Suso spins around to free up an inch of space before curling a superb effort into the top corner, with the shot smacking the crossbar on its way past Bizzarri. 1-0 Milan!
8'
Bonucci attempts a signature long-ball over the top of the Udinese defence targeting Suso, but Bizzarri is out of his goal quickly to quell the danger and relieve his defensive unit.
5'
Milan are dictating the attacking play early in this contest, with Suso’s right-hand side seeing a lot of action. A misplaced pass leads to an Udinese counter-attack but Romagnoli does well to halt the move before Donnarumma was troubled.
2'
An early chance for Milan as Abate gets a cross in from the right side and Bonaventura meets it in the box, but his swivelled hit is weak and bounces into the arms of Bizzarri.
1'
Milan get the match underway attacking from right to left!
Good afternoon and welcome to the Dacia Arena in Udine for our live text commentary of the Serie A fixture between Udinese and Milan.
Former Milan player Massimo Oddo has done notable work with Udinese since replacing Luigi Delneri in November 2017. Six wins in 10 matches have brought the Bianconeri from 14th place to 10th, with three points today lifting the Friuli club above their opponents and as high as seventh. Oddo’s arrival has also sparked an upturn in defensive performances, with his three-at-the-back system conceding less than a goal per game – stark contrast to the 23 allowed in 12 matches under previous management.
Udinese have been led by a young core of forward-thinking players headed by top-scorer and former Carpi striker Kevin Lasagna. The adjustment to the top flight has come naturally to the 25-year old who has scored in six of his last 10 matches and seven all season. The forward has faced Milan three times in his career, netting on one occasion – in the meeting between the two sides earlier this year which ended 2-1 for the Milanese club.
Milan will have to accumulate all the points they can, as February and early March bring high profile games against three teams currently above Milan in European positions: Sampdoria, Roma and Inter. With some of the early form teams failing to continue their dominance, Milan have been given an opportunity to make up for their sluggish start. A win today for Gattuso would make it four consecutive Serie A victories, a run that is only bettered by Napoli and Juventus who sit in first and second place respectively.
For Milan, this match will provide some variation, as the Rossoneri will face a side other than Lazio for the first time since January 21st. A midweek draw in the Coppa Italia and a 2-1 victory last weekend against the Biancoceleste have continued Milan’s return to form. Unbeaten in their last six matches in all competition, Milan have adopted the dogged mentality and resilience of their coach Gennaro Gattuso. Five conceded in their last five matches brought with it 10 points and a legitimate shot at Europa League qualification.
With fifteen minutes to go before kick-off, the team news has been announced! Let’s begin with the home side.
Udinese Starting XI (3-5-2): Albano Bizzarri; Bram Nuytinck, Danilo, Jens Stryger Larsen; Giuseppe Pezzella, Jakub Jankto, Valon Behrami, Antonin Barak, Francesco Zampano; Rodrigo de Paul, Kevin Lasagna.
Milan Starting XI (4-3-3): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Ignazio Abate, Leonardo Bonucci, Alessio Romagnoli, Davide Calabria; Franck Yannick Kessie, Lucas Biglia, Giacamo Bonaventura; Suso, Andre Silva, Hakan Calhanoglu.
Milan Substitutes: Antonio Donnarumma, Alessandro Guarnone, Luca Antonelli, Raoul Bellanova, Mateo Musacchio, Cristian Zapata, Manuel Locatelli, Jose Mauri, Riccardo Montolivo, Fabio Borini, Patrick Cutrone, Nikola Kalinic.
Massimo Oddo makes two changes to the side that earned a clean sheet and a victory against Genoa last weekend. Albano Bizzarri remains in goal as the manager’s first-choice goalkeeper. In front of him is a defensive trio of Bram Nuytinck, Danilo and Jens Stryger Larsen who drops back into defence to replace Samir who was shown a red card in Udinese’s previous match. A five-man midfield will be employed featuring Francesco Zampano who plays the spot vacated by Larsen, Valon Behrami, Jakub Jankto, Giuseppe Pezzella and young Czech play-maker Antonin Barak who takes the place of Seko Fofana who was dropped to the bench for today’s match. In attack, Rodrigo de Paul will play behind main forward Kevin Lasagna.
Gennaro Gattuso makes two one changes to the side that beat Lazio 2-1 in the Serie A last weekend as Ignazio Abate returns to the starting line-up at right-back and Andre Silva gets a rare start up front. Gianluigi Donnarumma will play in goal and alongside Abate in defense is Leonardo Bonucci, Alessio Romagnoli and Davide Calabria. Giacamo Bonaventura reprises his role as the left-sided midfielder in a trio which sees Lucas Biglia central and Franck Yannick Kessie on the right. The attacking trident consists of Hakan Calhanoglu on the left, Suso on his favoured right side and Andre Silva in the middle, who is replacing Patrick Cutrone despite the young Italian forward scoring in his last Serie A appearance.
The teams are now making their way out of the tunnel and onto the pitch, with kick-off to follow shortly.
For Udinese, Massimo Oddo should be impressed by his team’s fighting spirit after going behind to an absolute wonder-strike. Early adjustments to the back-three have arrested Milan’s constant forays down the flanks, with Oddo no doubt urging his side to force Milan to play through a packed midfield. Kevin Lasagna has shown both the speed to get past Bonucci and the aerial prowess to beat Davide Calabria, but the former Carpi talisman has been unable to beat Donnarumma in the Milan goal.
Half-time at the Dacia Arena is well received by Milan who have been put under significant pressure at the end of the first half. Milan established themselves early in this contest, directing the play and possessing the ball with intent and purpose. A 10th minute stunner from Suso gave the visiting side a deserving lead, but Gattuso’s squad should consider themselves somewhat fortunate to bring that advantage into half-time. A host of chances from Kevin Lasagna and Rodrigo de Paul were all thwarted by luck or good goalkeeping, as Milan’s defence do not look as structured as they have in previous games.
HALF-TIME: Udinese 0 - 1 Milan.
Both sides should feel they have a legitimate chance of taking all three points, with substitutions ultimately being the deciding factor. Milan and Udinese both have a number of options on the bench to add attacking impetus, so it will not be an easy feat for the Rossoneri to keep their first clean sheet against Udinese since 2014.
A sublime strike from Suso 10 minutes into the contest was the only difference between the two sides until Davide Calabria’s rash tackle earned him a second yellow card and a sending off. Until that point, Milan had dominated proceedings, creating more and dictating both possession and tempo. Despite the best efforts of Gattuso, the numerical disadvantage proved too much to handle for the remaining 10 Rossoneri players, and a Donnarumma own goal forced by Kevin Lasagna restored the parity that would remain for the rest of the match.
Thank you for following along to our live commentary of the Serie A fixture between Udinese and Milan. We hope you enjoyed it and see you next time!
Next up for the Bianconeri is a meeting with Torino at the Stadio Olympico in Turin, while Milan travel to the Stadio Paolo Mazza to play against 18th place SPAL.
Milan looked lively in attack, exposing the weaker points of a three-man defence, forcing the ball out wide and allowing Suso and Calhanoglu to be creative and inventive. Udinese responded well towards the end of the first and into the second half, forcing Milan to play through the centre, which did not suite them. In attack, de Paul and Kevin Lasagna were deadly, using their pace to outmanoeuvre a Milan centre-back pairing that could not keep up. Massimo Oddo’s side kept pushing and got their deserved equaliser through fortunate means, after the ball took deflections off of two Milan players. The managers should be relatively satisfied with a point each – especially Gattuso as it means Milan remain above Udinese.
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