UDINESE CALCIO

[Forza_Roma]

FT 1-0 Catania

[Forza_Roma]

Serie A Week 34 - 29/4/07 (14.00 UK)

Udinese 0 - 1 Catania
Spinesi pen 53 (C)
Stadio Friuli

Catania celebrated their first victory in four months, but did so with a controversial penalty against eight-man Udinese.

The Sicilians were without a win since February and knew another failure here would see them sucked back into the relegation battle. Quite a turnaround considering they were in the top four in Week 21. Davide Baiocco and Lorenzo Stovini were suspended, joining Mattia Biso, Giuseppe Colucci, Fausto Rossini and Takayuki Morimoto in the stands. Udinese had Sulley Ali Muntari and Giampiero Pinzi banned, while Christian Obodo is out for six months following surgery.

Catania really should've taken the lead after 90 seconds when Gionatha Spinesi ran into the area and shook off a challenge to cut back for Giuseppe Mascara, but he fired wide of an open goal from six yards.

Armando Pantanelli did well to fingertip an Antonio Di Natale right-foot strike out from under the crossbar.

Udinese were incredibly unlucky on 26 minutes, as Vincenzo Iaquinta ran forward on the counter-attack and curled a low drive round the goalkeeper, but it dribbled slowly on to the inside of the upright and back out!

Di Natale did well to spin round on the edge of the area and drill just wide with his left foot, then former Udinese defender Andrea Sottil performed a crucial tackle to stop Di Natale as he rushed into the box.

Straight after the restart Andrea Coda allowed Mascara to spring the counter-attack and Marco Motta brought him down. The red card was understandable, but the contact appeared to be outside the area, yet Spinesi converted a penalty to give Catania the lead.

Udinese went down to nine men moments later, with Di Natale punished for his sarcastic dissent towards referee Marelli.

Despite this situation, the Friulani fought back as Tomas Sivok's left-foot strike stung Pantanelli's gloves.

Incredibly, Udinese were left in eight men as Dossena became the third player to be sent off with a horrible high tackle, aiming straight for Mark Edusei's knee.

Paulo Barreto curled a free kick off target and Mascara's lob was just over with Morgan De Sanctis caught off his line.

Udinese: De Sanctis; Coda, Natali, Zapata; Motta, Sivok, D'Agostino (Asamoah 87), De Martino (Barreto 46), Dossena; Iaquinta (Zapata 80), Di Natale

Catania: Pantanelli; Sardo, Cesar, Sottil, Vargas; Izco (Biso 70), Edusei, Caserta; Lucenti, Spinesi (Rossini 80), Mascara (Silvestri 87)

Ref: Marelli

Sent off: Motta 52 (U), Di Natale 54 (U), Dossena 78 (U)

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

A surprise result it has to be said.

[Forza_Roma]

I'm disappointed in Udinese. They have a half decent team and for them to be in the position they are in is not justified. With Iaquinta, Di Natale, De Sanctis. They have an ok squad. And with the points penalty of a few clubs, they should of really pushed for Uefa spot.

[D-Kin]

Yeah, they've had an average season.

Unfortunately they're unlikely to get any better either with the likes of Iaquinta and Di Natale set to move on.

[Diabolico]

Most surprising result in Serie A this weekend, if you ask me. Udinese is not a bad team at all; really surprised they didn't manage to score a single goal against Catania. At home, no less.

Good for Catania, though. They need the points badly. Maybe Udinese isn't motivated as they have practically nothing to play for at this point-- they're not in relegation danger and they have very little chance of qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 36 - 13/5/07 (14.00 UK)
Udinese - Atalanta

Stadio Friuli

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Udinese and Atalanta both seem to be fairly certain of a mid-table finish with only three matches remaining, but don’t expect either team to take things easy when they meet at the Stadio Friuli. European qualification is still a remote possibility for these two teams, but at least one of them is guaranteed to drop out of the race by the end of 90 minutes.

With Coach Alberto Malesani still fresh on the Zebrette bench, every player in the squad will know there could be big changes on the way this summer. Malesani will surely be looking to bring in some of his own players during the transfer market and the Bianconeri men will want to impress their boss in the final few games of the campaign. Udinese’s form has hit trouble after consecutive defeats to relegation candidates Catania and Cagliari, while their tough final fixtures against Milan and Palermo mean this will probably be many of the players’ best chance to prove their worth to the side.

A number of the Bianconeri’s lesser-used squad members look likely to have a chance to impress Malesani in this match too, thanks to Friuli outfit’s appalling disciplinary record. Four red cards in two weeks, plus an avalanche of cautions, means that the likes of Antonio Di Natale, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Aleksandar Lukovic, Andrea Coda and Giampiero Pinzi are all suspended. Add in the injuries to Damiano Zenoni, Felipe and Christian Obodo, and their team is likely to have an experimental look to it on Sunday. Tomas Sivok, Gaetano D’Agostino and Tomas Zapotocny should all feature, while Gyan Asamoah and Barreto are expected to start in attack.

Atalanta will be without influential defender Claudio Rivalta through suspension, while top scorer Cristiano Doni will miss out, along with youngster Marino Defendi, after undergoing surgery earlier this month. Argentine duo Leonardo Talamonti and Fernando Tissone should take their place for this game, while Riccardo Zampagna is expected to get the nod in the lone striker’s role ahead of Nicola Ventola and Christian Vieri.

The Orobici are the closer of the two sides to a place in Europe next season. Just five points behind Fiorentina and a place in the UEFA Cup, thanks to another Inter-Roma Coppa Italia Final freeing up an extra space, Nerazzurri Coach Stefano Colantuono will still see Europe as a target even if it is a distant one. While they have impressed in Bergamo, La Dea’s form on their travels will need to improve drastically if they are to have any chance of causing an upset in the race for Europe after failing to get on the scoresheet in their last two away trips to Empoli and Messina.

Man on fire: Sulley Ali Muntari (Udinese) – The Ghanaian international has covered for the absence of midfield partner Christian Obodo excellently in recent weeks and his eye for goal could be even more important with strikers Vincenzo Iaquinta and Antonio Di Natale both suspended for this game.

Last season: Not played

Form guide: Udinese (W W D L L) Atalanta (W L W D W)

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Udinese (probable): De Sanctis; Zapotocny, Natali, Zapata; Motta, Sivok, D’Agostino, Muntari, Dossena; Asamoah, Barreto

Atalanta (probable): Calderoni; Adriano, Talamonti, Carrozzieri, Bellini; Ferreira Pinto, Migliaccio, Donati, Ariatti; Tissone; Zampagna

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Forza_Roma]

Atalanta may get the win here with all the big names out for Udinese. Both teams have nothing to play for. But i hope Udinese at least earns a draw.

[D-Kin]

Vieri to score.

[D-Kin]

Udinese are 1-0 up, Gyan Asamoah with the goal.

[D-Kin]

45+4 Udinese 'keeper Morgan de Sanctis is down injured after clattering Pinto Ferreira, but Atalanta have been awarded the penalty!!!

[D-Kin]

45+5 Zampagna hammers home the spot-kick and wheels away in celebration, but wait...he has to take it again, encroachment into the area! He steps up again...same result, goal!!

[D-Kin]

HT 1-1.

[Forza_Roma]

Originally Posted by Joel

45+5 Zampagna hammers home the spot-kick and wheels away in celebration, but wait...he has to take it again, encroachment into the area! He steps up again...same result, goal!!

Lucky him. I hate when players have to retake a penalty. But rules are rules i guess. Too bad they don't enforce the same rules when there is a free kick.

[D-Kin]

Asamoah scores again for Udinese, they lead 2-1.