Udinese vs AC Milan – Football Match Report – Mar 18, 2023

AC Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic became the oldest goalscorer in Serie A history but it wasn’t enough to prevent them from losing 3-1 at Udinese on Saturday, ending the holders’ hopes of a top-four finish destroyed.

Milan missed a chance for second place and remained fourth on 48 points, a point ahead of fifth-placed AS Roma, who play Lazio on Sunday. Udinese is eighth with 38 points.

“It was a negative performance. When the team plays like that, neither aggressively, nor intensely, nor precisely, nor with focus, it means that the coach did a bad job in preparing the game. We were way below our potential tonight”, Milan coach Stefano Pioli told Sky Sport Italia.

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“Look, it’s clear we won’t keep the Scudetto, but we can win this mini-league of teams trying to qualify for the Champions League. We want and we can do better this season.”

Milan needed 20 minutes to gain a foothold in the game after the hosts were aggressive from the first whistle and had several chances to double their lead.

However, it was Milan who struck next, albeit in confusing circumstances.

Milan striker Ibrahimovic missed a penalty late in the first half after a handball before it had to be repeated for an assault after the game had already lasted a minute.

Udinese coach Andrea Sottil has been sent off after berating the referee after the decision.

Ibrahimovic, playing his first game since January 2022, didn’t miss a second time and converted four minutes into first-half injury time to become the oldest goalscorer in Serie A history at 41 years and 166 days.

He surpassed the previous record set by Alessandro Costacurta in 2007 by 141 days. Costacurta also scored his last goal from the penalty spot for Milan in a defeat by Udinese.

The celebration was short-lived, however, as Beto put Udinese back in front two minutes later when he converted an Isaac Success cross from close range.

Udinese secured the win when an unmarked Kingsley Ehizibue tapped a pass from Destiny Udogie against the back post in the 70th minute.

The win confirmed Udinese’s hopes of playing in Europe next season as they move up to eighth place, seven points behind Atalanta in sixth place, their last qualifying spot.