VIDEO: Balotelli's perfect free kick spurs AC Milan to 2nd straight win

Mario Balotelli didn't need much time to pay dividends for AC Milan, scoring just four minutes into his first start of the season to set up a 3-2 win over Udinese on Tuesday.

Balotelli took his first and only opportunity on goal with a perfect free kick past goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis.

Within 10 minutes, Milan doubled its lead. Captain Riccardo Montolivo sent a long ball to midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura, who stepped into the box and guided the ball into the bottom corner.

A crisp header from defender Cristian Zapata consolidated a 3-0 advantage by the half.

But a 3-0 lead is perhaps the most dangerous lead to protect in sports.

And Udinese almost proved it.

Goals from Emmanuel Badu and Duvan Zapata brought the home side within view of a comeback, but the Rossoneri ultimately did enough to salvage all three points for their second straight win of the season.

The biggest takeaway was, of course, Balotelli, who also scored against Udinese in his initial Milan debut in February 2013 following a move from Manchester City.

Udinese tried to bring out the worst in the 25-year-old, committing nine fouls against him - more fouls than any other player on the pitch.

But he was not having any of it.

"I am slowly getting a few chips off my shoulder, because in recent years between Italy and England they said so much, but I stayed in silence," Balotelli told Mediaset, courtesy of Football Italia, after the match.

"Defenders provoke me? Either they get a yellow card or my leg, but they're not going to get the ball."