Udinese 0-0 AC Milan - Udinese bag Champions League spot

Posted Sunday, May 22, 2011 by PA

Udinese held out for a goalless draw against Serie A champions AC Milan to book a place in next season's Champions League qualifiers.

Beginning the day two points ahead of Lazio, Udinese knew a point would see them through whatever the Rome side did at Lecce.

As it turned out, with Lazio winning 4-2, a point was exactly what they needed and got, though it could have been more as Antonio Di Natale, who finished the season as the league's top scorer, hit the post and had a penalty saved, while Gokhan Inler also hit the woodwork.

Milan threatened first with Kevin Prince Boateng firing over from the edge of the box in the third minute.

At the other end, Alexis Sanchez played in Mauricio Isla whose shot from the right channel went narrowly over.

After nine minutes Medhi Benatia picked out Gokhan Inler with a sweeping pass but his shot from the edge of the box was wayward, and Clarence Seedorf was similarly wasteful for Milan moments later.

Udinese came agonisingly close to giving themselves a cushion after 18 minutes when Di Natale curled a free-kick against the right-hand post.

Just after the half-hour mark Alexandre Pato wasted one of Milan's better chances when he shot straight at Samir Handanovic having been played in by Antonio Cassano.

Sanchez headed a good chance over for Udinese before Milan had a flurry of chances leading up to the break, Boateng, Cassano and Mathieu Flamini all wasteful.

After the break, Urby Emanuelson was wayward early on but by and large the half saw Di Natale attempting to add to his tally of 28.

He fired wide twice in quick succession and then, when he did find his range following a great pass from Inler, Marco Amelia made a good save.

Amelia also denied Sanchez, but his best was still to come as, after 74 minutes, he dived to save Di Natale's spot-kick after Seedorf had fouled Sanchez in the area.

Inler then came close as his long-range effort hit the woodwork and bounced clear but it mattered not as Udinese finished fourth.