Goals from Mario Balotelli, Giacomo Bonaventura and Cristian Zapata have given AC Milan a 3-0 half-time lead in their Serie A clash at Udinese this evening.

Milan started the game brightly, and won a free kick just outside the penalty area on five minutes when Balotelli was brought down by Edenilson. Balotelli stepped up to take the set piece, and curled a shot past Orestis Karnezis in the Udinese goal.

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The hosts could have pegged Milan back immediately when Bruno Fernandes found Cyril Thereau inside the penalty area with a cross, but the Frenchman's header went wide.

Milan doubled their lead after just 10 minutes through Bonaventura, who picked up a through ball from Riccardo Montolivo before producing a neat finish inside the penalty area.

Sinisa Mihajlovic's side could have added another goal to their tally when Montolivo fired wide from outside the box, before Carlos Bacca saw an attempt blocked by the Udinese defence.

Veteran forward Antonio Di Natale came closest to halving the deficit before the break, but his effort from distance was blocked, as the club captain's wait for his first goal of the season continued.

Milan added a third goal on the stroke of half time as Zapata headed in from a Bonaventura corner.