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Serie A | Udinese 2-0 Torino: Friulani shove sorry Toro aside
Udinese maintained their pursuit of a top 10 finish by sweeping sorry Torino aside 2-0 with Kingsley Ehizibue and Thomas Kristensen goals.
The Friulani had a lengthy absentee list including Keinan Davis, Jesper Karlstrom, Jordan Zemura, Alessandro Zanoli and Nicolò Bertola after a 3-3 thriller at Lazio. Toro were also decimated, missing Duvan Zapata, Che Adams, Marcus Pedersen, Tino Anjorin, Zakaria Aboukhlal and Ardian Ismajli after their comeback from 2-0 down to hold leaders Inter 2-2.
Udinese wore a special jersey commemorating the 50th anniversary of the devastating earthquake in the region that killed over 1,000 and there was a fanfare before kick-off. There was also a minute’s silence before all games this weekend for Formula 1 and Paralympic legend Alex Zanardi.
Giovanni Simeone was denied from point-blank range by Maduka Okoye in the opening minutes when meeting the Valentino Lazaro cross, while Gvidas Gineitis got the finish wrong on a corner kick routine.
The first chance for the hosts saw Christian Kabasele’s finish from a free kick deflected wide, and Udinese scored in chaotic fashion.
Adam Buksa robbed Gineitis, then Nicolò Zaniolo was blocked off by Alberto Paleari, so Buksa fired onto the upright of an open goal, before Zaniolo turned in the rebound. However, it didn’t count because Zaniolo was offside.
Zaniolo ran onto a through ball and cut inside, his strike deflected off Saul Coco to prevent a certain goal, and an Oumar Solet glancing header smothered.
Udinese did eventually get their goal in first half stoppages and it was again far from a clean move. Coco made a mistake on a throw-in and was robbed by Solet, it was rolled across from the left by Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, where Rafa Obrador risked an own goal, so Kingsley Ehizibue was ready right behind him to prod over the line.
The second goal was more orthodox, as Thomas Kristensen was allowed a free glancing header on a Lennon Miller corner from six yards.
Torino struggled to create any real chances in a disappointing second half performance, but Zaniolo was even more frustrated with a continuing goal drought, as he ran from his own half only to see a shot charged down, then had penalty appeals rejected and fired another effort straight at Paleari.
Udinese 2-0 Torino
Ehizibue 45+1 (U), Kristensen 51 (U)
