TIME MACHINE: UDINESE vs. AC MILAN

A year ago it was mid-September; this time, AC Milan’s trip to Udine will come at the end of October. Back in 2000, however, it was December: specifically Sunday, December 3rd, at 3:00pm CET, on Matchday 9 of that Serie A season. We travel back in time as we look ahead to the next league fixture and, thanks to the Time Machine, relive the historic meeting decided by Andriy Shevchenko.

Zaccheroni’s side was not enjoying its brightest spell, although a 1-0 home win over Napoli the previous weekend (sealed by Ambrosini) had provided some much-needed breathing room for a team whose league position was far from impressive. Looking to find greater defensive solidity and, more generally, some consistency in its performance, the Rossoneri travelled to face De Canio’s Udinese, who sat third alongside Bologna, just two points off second place. It would prove to be no easy afternoon...

Although the first scare came from Udinese, with Sosa firing a wayward volley moments after kick-off, the first real chance fell to Shevchenko. Turci miscued his clearance and the Ukrainian picked up the ball, but he failed to find the target from distance. Former Rossoneri striker Bierhoff then threatened, heading over from close range following a free-kick before testing the goalkeeper inside the box from a Coco cross. Fiore tried his luck, but Abbiati was alert, while Margiotta’s turn and shot came to nothing. The teams went into the break level.

Early in the second half, AC Milan struck: in the 52nd minute, Ambrosini laid the ball off to Maldini, who sent it into the box, where Sheva pounced, sliding in ahead of Bertotto to beat Turci with a true striker’s finish. It was his eighth league goal, 17th of the season and 34th of the calendar year. Decisive Shevchenko, once again at the heart of the action. He would have gone on to complete his brace, but the goal was ruled out for an offside position in the build-up. He then set up chances for Leonardo and José Mari, who both squandered opportunities to double the lead. It did not matter, though: it finished Udinese 0-1 AC Milan.

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