Serie A leaders Milan stumbled again with a 1-1 draw against relegation strugglers Udinese, as Destiny Udogie cancelled out the Rafael Leao opener and the Friulani went closest to winning.
The Rossoneri had Ismael Bennacer suspended as well as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Simon Kjaer injured, so Franck Kessie returned to the midfield after a surprise 2-2 draw with Salernitana. Bram Nuytinck was still out for the Friulani and Roberto Pereyra only fit for the bench.
It was a very sluggish start from both teams, Gerard Deulofeu and Davide Calabria firing off target, but Milan took the lead with their first genuine chance.
Sandro Tonali floated a ball over from the right, Rafael Leao controlled while shrugging off Rodrigo Becao at the back post and swept home with his right foot from a tight angle.
Mike Maignan plucked a Beto header out from under the bar, while Tolgay Arslan’s strike from the edge of the box skimmed the far post.
It was all Udinese in the second half and they got a deserved equaliser when Pereyra hooked it back over his head and Alessio Romagnoli failed to make the clearance, so Destiny Udogie bundled over the line from a couple of yards. It was the Italy Under-21 international’s debut Serie A goal. There were some suspicions of handball, and VAR did have a silent check, but opted not to call the referee in for an on-field review.
Brahim Diaz set up Leao to flick it over the goalkeeper, but Pablo Mari got back to clear in front of an open goal, then Marco Silvestri charged down a Romagnoli effort with his crotch, although the offside flag was up.
Rodrigo Becao made a decisive challenge when Leao was sent clear, but it was Udinese who went closest to victory in stoppages when Maignan got down to palm a Deulofeu snapshot round the post.
Milan 1-1 Udinese
Leao 29 (M), Udogie 66 (U)