AC MILAN v UDINESE: A PREVIOUS MEETING

Behind the traditional big names of the league, few teams in Serie A in recent decades have displayed the consistency of Udinese, always present in the top flight since 1995. In recent years, the matches between the Rossoneri and the Bianconeri have often provided entertainment and sparked interest, sometimes offering important points up for grabs for prestigious positions in the standings and in the race for spots in Europe. One previous meeting, for example, is another AC Milan v Udinese match played in the middle of winter, on 16 January 2005.

SETTING THE SCENE
The last matchday of the girone d'andata, a top-of-the-table clash at San Siro: Ancelotti's Rossoneri trail league leaders Juventus by 4 points, while dark horses Udinese coached by Spalletti are in third place, 4 points ahead of Inter and 7 ahead of Sampdoria. AC Milan are on a good run of form as they meet the Friulani, having won in the Coppa Italia against Palermo this week and scored 11 goals in their last two home games. On an afternoon where they celebrated the 20th anniversary of Paolo Maldini's first appearance in Serie A, Ancelotti lined up his best side with the usual 4-3-1-2: Dida in goal; Cafu, Nesta, the returning Stam and Maldini in defence; Gattuso-Pirlo-Seedorf in midfield with Kaká in behind the two strikers, Shevchenko-Crespo.

SHEVA WITH THE EQUALISER
On a cold afternoon in Milan, it was the visitors who got off to the best possible start: after 8 minutes Iaquinta on the left evaded Stam's tackle before finding Di Natale, who hit a powerful right-footer from 25 yards out to leave AC Milan trailing at San Siro for the first time since September. Udinese went close to doubling their lead with their number 10 before the Rossoneri reacted: after a few chances for Kaká and Crespo, Ancelotti's side found the equaliser, 1-1 on the half-hour mark. The goal came from a central pass from the Brazilian to the Argentine, who found Andriy Shevchenko at the far post, who then beat De Sanctis from two yards out for his 13th league goal. The goal broke the deadlock for AC Milan, who went close to doubling their lead before half-time: Kaká's header hit the post in the 35th minute, and Seedorf's graceful lob went just wide in the 40th minute.

RICKY SEALS THE WIN
The Rossoneri were lucky in the second half. In the 52nd minute, Seedorf's cross from the right-hand side managed to deflect off Jankulovski's head for an own goal to make it 2-1. Udinese never gave up, however, and responded with a free-kick from Iaquinta. AC Milan increased the intensity in attack, and advanced with Crespo and substitute Tomasson, who was hypnotised by De Santis rushing out off goal in the 78th minute. In the 80th minute, the Friulians came close to making it 2-2 with a shot from Fava, but Dida's did well to make the save, and in the 90th minute came the goal that sealed the match. Tomasson on the right set up Shevchenko, who shrugged off Bertotto's tackle and put Kaká through. Ricky then evaded both Felipe's tackle and De Sanctis' rushing to meet him. The Brazilian's goal sealed three important points for AC Milan, who as a result, left Udinese behind in the standings and took advantage of Juve's draw in Cagliari, leaving them only two points off the top spot.

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