Udinese drew 1-1 with Bologna at the Stadio Friuli on Sunday afternoon in Serie A.
Rossoblu captain Alessandro Diamanti scored with a textbook free-kick with less than 20 minutes to go but Antonio Di Natale scored the equaliser in his 300th Serie A match with the Zebrette.
Di Natale had the first shot after 11 minutes. With his back towards goal, he turned anti-clockwise and shot from distance but his right-foot drive went high and wide.
Bologna’s first chance came after 17 minutes. Diamanti took a short corner and after receiving the ball back, he bent a left-foot cross-shot at goal. Udinese goalkeeper Ivan Kelava was able to catch the ball at the far post.
Francesco Della Rocca’s long pass into the box was controlled by Panagiotis Kone, who shielded the ball for Diamanti. He then passed to Davide Moscardelli, who shot straight at Kelava.
In the 24th minute, confusion in the Bologna penalty box resulted in a chance for Di Natale but his scissor kick shot was blocked by Gianluca Curci from point blank range.
Shortly after, Curci was forced into two quick saves. First he saved Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu’s angled drive and then he had to deal with Luis Muriel’s rebound.
Andrea Lazzari bent a cross from the left central midfield position only for Roberto Pereyra to head the ball wide towards the far post.
In the second half, Diamanti bent a cross from the left-wing for Moscardelli at the far post but the Italo-Belgian striker headed the ball wide.
Muriel received a yellow card for time-wasting. Diamanti was getting the ball ready for a free-kick but the Colombian striker tried to move the ball back.
It took Bologna 71 minutes to take the lead. Diamanti won a free-kick from about 25 metres and he bent it with his left-foot towards the near post. The ball floated into the top corner and Kelava had no chance.
Diamanti tried to double his team’s tally a few minutes later but he long-range effort went straight over the bar.
Udinese levelled the scores with five minutes to go. After twisting and turning from Muriel, he flicked the ball to Di Natale, who was at the far post and volleyed the ball into the net.
The Zebrette finished off the game better and searched for a winner but despite five minutes of stoppage time, the match ended 1-1.
