[Forza_Roma]

Good game Di Natale...

Serie A Week 29 - 18/3/07 (14.00 UK)

Udinese 4 - 0 Livorno
Di Natale 34, 69 (U), Asamoah 37 (U), Barreto pen 82 (U)
Stadio Friuli

Udinese inflicted a humiliating defeat on the Amaranto with Antonio Di Natale bagging a brace.

These sides had UEFA Cup ambitions, but both have been on miserable form of late. Udinese were without a win in six and really missing the injured Vincenzo Iaquinta, Dias Felipe and Cesare Natali with Marco Motta and Christian Obodo suspended. Giovanni Pasquale sat out a ban for Livorno.

Antonio Di Natale drilled wide from the edge of the area, then when Rahman Rezaei was dispossessed, the former Empoli hitman somehow managed to fire off target with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Marco Amelia parried a Giampiero Pinzi effort, but could do nothing on Di Natale's wonderful opener. Gyan Asamoah held up the ball, he bounced it on his right knee and smashed home the right-foot volley.

Udinese doubled their advantage moments later. The Livorno defence was a shambles on the counter-attack and Asamoah's low drive took a decisive deflection off Rezaei to leave Amelia stranded.

After the restart Asamoah's free header shaved the near post, Sivok nodded on to the side-netting and Ghanaian Asamoah again wasted a good chance.

Both sides rattled the frame of the goal. First Cristiano Lucarelli's header came off the bar, then moments later the woodwork saved Amelia.

Udinese put the game beyond doubt on 69 minutes with Di Natale's second of the match. Once more Livoro lost the ball in midfield and the counter-attack was finalised by Di Natale's rising finish over the goalkeeper.

The referee pointed to the spot for a debatable penalty on Paulo Barreto, as he may have got the ball. The Brazilian took the penalty himself with a powerful finish.

Udinese: De Sanctis; Zapotocny, Coda, Zapata; Pinzi, Sivok (De Martino 73), Muntari, Dossena; D'Agostino; Asamoah (Siqueira 86), Di Natale (Barreto 79)

Livorno: Amelia; Grandoni, Rezai, Galante, Balleri (Pfertzel 75); Morrone, Coppola (Vidigal 55), Filippini, Passoni; Fiore; Lucarelli (Paulinho 72)

Ref: Celi

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