Coppa: Milan undone in Udine Wednesday 16 March, 2005
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The Rossoneri are out of the Coppa Italia following a crushing 4-1 defeat against on-form Udinese.
Milan had a slender 3-2 lead to protect from the first leg and travelled to the Stadio Friuli without the injured Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Nesta and Andriy Shevchenko.
Udinese needed a win to qualify and it was almost gifted to them after nine minutes, as Christian Abbiati’s clearance went straight to Antonio Di Natale, but the goalkeeper made up for his error by fingertipping the chip round the post.
The opening goal arrived soon after, as Gianpiero Pinzi threaded through for Vincenzo Iaquinta to sweep into the far corner of the net.
With two defenders already out of action, Milan also lost Jaap Stam during the first half with a slight calf problem, but the medical staff assured he would be fit for Sunday’s Serie A trip to Roma.
Clarence Seedorf came on for the second period and immediately brought a tough save out of Morgan De Sanctis from distance, while Christian Brocchi drilled just wide.
Jon Dahl Tomasson’s shot was only parried into the path of Brocchi and the midfielder’s lob was off target.
However, it was Udinese who doubled their lead on the hour mark when Stefano Mauri thumped in Marek Jankulovski’s low cross with a powerful and precise left-foot drive into the top corner.
Substitute David Di Michele struck the side-netting from a promising position soon after and Abbiati was at full stretch to tip his lob over the bar.
Pippo Inzaghi hit the back of the net, but it was disallowed for an offside position, but Milan did get back into the running when De Sanctis rushed off his line to clear from Inzaghi, only for the ball to reach Tomasson.
That didn’t last for long, as Udinese restored their two-goal cushion moments later when Kakha Kaladze brought down David Pizarro and Di Michele converted the penalty.
The Rossoneri ended their campaign in 10 men as Vikash Dhorasoo limped off during the final minutes when all the substitutions had been completed.
Just as the visitors were piling on the pressure in a desperate bid to reduce the gap, Udinese put the tie beyond doubt with Mauri’s second of the game. Another Abbiati howler allowed Di Michele to set up his teammate from close range.
Udinese 4-1 Milan
Scorers: Iaquinta 20 (U), Mauri 60, 94 (U), Tomasson 77 (M), Di Michele pen 79 (U)
Udinese win 6-4 on agg
Udinese: De Sanctis; Belleri, Bertotto, Felipe, Zenoni; Pinzi, Pizarro (Pazienza 84), Jankulovski; Di Natale (Di Michele 60), Iaquinta, Mauri
Milan: Abbiati; Pancaro, Costacurta, Stam (Simic 34), Kaladze; Brocchi (Inzaghi 60), Ambrosini, Dhorasoo; Rui Costa (Seedorf 46), Serginho; Tomasson
Ref: Morganti
waw i love udinese , i hope they do the same in the last match in the season
