Udinese 0-4 AC Milan: Dominant Rossoneri cruise past hosts

AC Milan produced an emphatic performance to defeat Udinese 4-0 on Friday night in Serie A, earning their first victory in nearly a month. Goals from Rafael Leao and Strahinja Pavlovic just before halftime set the tone, with Theo Hernandez and Tijjani Reijnders adding further strikes in the second half to complete a dominant display.

The match, however, was marred by a concerning injury to goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who had to be stretchered off early in the second half following a heavy clash of heads with teammate Alex Jimenez.

Milan, who had last tasted victory in mid-March with a 2-1 home win over Como, now sit ninth in the league standings with 51 points from 32 matches. They trail fourth-placed Bologna by six points, with Bologna set to face Atalanta on Sunday. Udinese, meanwhile, remain 11th on 40 points.

The Rossoneri's inconsistent season has left them eyeing the Coppa Italia as their most viable route to European qualification. They will meet Inter Milan in the second leg of their semi-final on April 23, following a 1-1 draw in the first leg. The Coppa Italia champion earns a direct spot in the Europa League group stage.

Milan nearly struck within the opening minute when Reijnders broke into the box after a mix-up in the Udinese defence, only to see his shot saved by Maduka Okoye. The hosts initially held firm, but Leao eventually broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute with a sublime first-time effort after Youssouf Fofana regained possession and set him up from the right.

Moments later, Pavlovic headed in a Christian Pulisic corner to double the lead before halftime. Despite the loss of Maignan early in the second period, Milan maintained their momentum. Hernandez added a brilliant third after a powerful solo run, and Reijnders tapped in a fourth from a Leao assist. Pulisic did find the net again, but his effort was disallowed for offside.

“We needed a response, and tonight we showed our character,” said a member of Milan’s camp post-match. “This is the level we must maintain if we want to fight for Europe.”

SportsLigue