AC Milan secured their third successive win in all competitions on Sunday after Ante Rebic scored deep into injury time to secure a last-gasp 3-2 win over Udinese at San Siro.
Franck Kessie and Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to the starting lineup after sitting out the Coppa Italia success over SPAL, while January loan addition Simon Kjær also started.
However, they were all powerless to prevent the away side taking the lead as Gianluigi Donnarumma came flying out of his goal to close down Kevin Lasagna, only to miss the ball entirely and clatter into the Italian. The ball fell to Jens Stryger Larsen following the challenge, and the Dane angled a fine effort into empty net from close to the touchline.
It was nearly two for Udinese shortly after, but Lasagna was unable to connect with Ken Sema’s cross as he intended, instead blazing an effort over the bar to spare Milan’s blushes.
Needing a response in the second half, the hosts came flying out of the traps with half time substitute Ante Rebic making an instant impact. Andrea Conti played a quick one-two before fizzing a cross across the box which the Croatian smashed home to level matters.
It was harsh on the visitors who were largely the better side, but they were unable to find a way past Donnarumma who was making up for his earlier error with a string of superb saves.
Holding firm in goal, Milan then nudged themselves in front via their current top scorer. Remarkably, Theo Hernandez has netted five goals in Serie A this season, but given the quality of the strike against Udinese, perhaps it isn’t so surprising after all. He rifled a sumptuous first time effort into the bottom corner to send the home fans wild and on course for three points.
Whether Milan could hold onto their lead was to come into question, as they still couldn’t contend with waves of Udinese attack, who were ruing their luck for being behind in the match. Their pressure eventually told though, as Lasagna pulled away from Conti in the box to arc a header into the net with five minutes remaining.
It wasn’t to end level though, as Rebic would prove the hero once more with a strike deep into injury time. A surge into the box ended with a left-footed effort across goal that bobbled past Juan Musso and sent San Siro into raptures, in turn moving Milan up to eighth in Serie A.
Source: Fotmob
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