Ronaldinho inspired AC Milan to victory over Udinese on Friday
night, warming them up for the visit of Manchester United in the
Champions League on Tuesday with three more points in Serie A.
Although the Brazilian did not put his own name on the
scoresheet, he set up all three goals as Milan regained second spot
in the table.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored the first after seven minutes and
substitute Alexandre Pato added the second five minutes before the
break.
Antonio Floro Flores gave Udinese hope with a goal on the stroke
of half-time before Huntelaar's second in the 57th minute restored
the home side's two-goal advantage.
Antonio Di Natale pulled Udinese back into the game in the 86th
minute, but they could not find an equaliser.
Milan coach Leonardo left David Beckham on the bench for the
second game running, but Alessandro Nesta was back at the heart of
the defence after a three-week injury absence.
And it wasn't long before Pato entered the field too with
Amantino Mancini forced off injured after just 13 minutes.
By then, Milan were ahead with a bullet header from Huntelaar,
who met Ronaldinho's cross at the near post in the seventh
minute.
Dida was nearly caught out by Gokhan Inler's shot which he
initially fumbled before clasping. Not for the first time, and not
for the last either, the Milan goalkeeper did not look too
comfortable.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who was watching on from the
stands, will certainly have taken note.
He will also have been given a lot to ponder by Ronaldinho, who
was pulling the strings in the Milan attack, setting up Pato in the
24th minute, but the linesman's offside flag was raised before the
Milan striker eventually rolled the ball in.
A poor clearance from Dida gave Di Natale a gift in the 27th
minute, but the Udinese striker and Serie A top goalscorer failed
to take advantage as the Milan defence recovered.
There was no offside flag when another sumptuous delivery from
Ronaldinho, straight into the path of Pato, set up the second goal
in the 39th minute.
Udinese defender Andrea Coda succeeded partly in putting the
Milan number seven off as he prepared to pull the trigger, but the
ball fell kindly for Pato, who was left with a simple tap-in.
However, the Rossoneri continued to look susceptible at the back
and Floro Flores headed Di Natale's cross in with the final touch
of the first half.
The actual last touch of the half was Dida's as he carried the
ball into his goal rather than making what should not have been too
difficult a save.
Fortunately for Milan, they had Ronaldinho, who was the source
of their third goal in the 57th minute.
His free-kick was met with an unintentional flick by Massimo
Ambrosini and Huntelaar was on hand to fire in his second and
Milan's third from close range.
Gennaro Gattuso missed the chance to wrap the game up in the
75th minute when Ronaldinho's vision and pass execution picked him
out in acres of space, but Samir Handanovic blocked his shot behind
for a corner.
From the corner kick, Ronaldinho's header was cleared off the
line by Simone Pepe before he made way for Beckham.
Di Natale's honesty in not going down denied his side a penalty
when he nudged the ball round Dida with 10 minutes remaining, but
the Udinese striker was rewarded with a goal his performance
deserved in the 86th minute when he beat the offside trap before
beating Dida with an elegant shot.
