Udinese and Fiorentina shared the spoils with a 2-2 draw at the Stadio Friuli on Sunday night in Serie A.
A two minute brace from Mario Gomez just after half time looked to have put the Viola ahead after a lacklustre performance in the first half but an opening goal from Molla Wagué and equalizer from Panagiotis Kone ensured that neither side would come away with three points.
A fairly cagey start to the match saw little action as the game meandered in the early minutes.
Eventually the home side woke up, and they punished a sluggish Fiorentina side from an Antonio Di Natale corner in the 15th minute.
Guilherme rose above a sea of bodies to head the ball down in the area after Nenad Tomovic fluffed his clearance. The ball fell to Wagué and he smashed the ball home with conviction.
The Zebrette could have gone further ahead after 30 minutes. Kone fired wide from the edge of the area before Widmer motored down the right wing and burst into the box, but Gonzalo Rodriguez made a vital interception to prevent his pass finding Di Natale in the middle.
Fiorentina could hardly claim a Europa League hangover to excuse their first half performance, but the Viola’s only moment of note came on the stroke of half time when Joaquin finished Mario Gomez’s cut back, but the goal was chalked off as Gomez was adjudged offside.
In the second half Vincenzo Montella’s side looked like a different team, as Gomez turned the game on its head in the space of two minutes.
The German got to the ball first at the near post and glanced a whipped Josip Ilicic free kick past Orestis Karnezis to stun the Stadio Friuli.
And before the away fans had finished celebrating the goal, Gomez had added another, combining with Ilicic again.
This time the Slovenian picked up the ball after Badelj robbed Guilherme and teed up Gomez on the edge of the area to finish calmly into the bottom right corner.
The visitors seemed to be on top suddenly but their complacency at the back continued. Just short of the hour, Guilherme missed a golden opportunity to equalise as Neto rushed out to clear a short back pass from Tomovic. The ball fell to the Spaniard 25 yards out but his attempt went safely wide of the empty net.
His blushes were spared five minutes later. Di Natale’s improvised and crossed the ball back over his head and Kone stabbed the ball past Neto from close range at the far post.
Substitute Cyril Théréau was then inches away from finding the third when he got clear of the defence but the Frenchman’s shot towards the top right corner was brilliantly tipped onto the bar by Neto.
The flurry of action early in the half lulled in the final 20 minutes, but both goalkeepers would be called upon one last time to keep the game level. Neto blocked an Alex Geijo shot from a tight angle with his chest before Karnezis parried a long drive from Matias Fernandez in the final seconds before the game was called at 2-2.
