Torino ran away 2-0 winners at the Stadio Olimpico against Udinese in Sunday Serie A action.
An early goal from Omar El Khaddouri gave the Granata the first half lead before a second half strike from Ciro Immobile sealed all three points for Torino.
The match kicked off with both teams trying to find their early rhythm. It took the home side just a quarter of an hour to find the breakthrough when a lovely pass from Immobile found El Khaddouri with space to the left of the Udinese penalty area. The Belgian-Moroccan cut inside on his right leaving Danilo for dead. His near post strike eluded the outstretched palm of Simone Scuffet to give the Granata the early lead.
The Zebrette, in search of the equalizer, pinned Torino back in their own half but couldn’t take advantage. Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu was the first player to make it into the referee’s book when he fouled Alessio Cerci just outside the penalty area in the 29th minute. The Italian sent the resulting free kick agonizingly wide of the mark.
Torino were forced into a first half substitution when Giuseppe Vives came up lame and had to be replaced by Panagiotis Tachtsidis.
Il Toro nearly doubled their lead when an Alessio Cerci cross was deflected on goal forcing Scuffet to be on his toes. The Granata then hit Udinese on the counter but Emiliano Moretti’s header from a Ciro Immobile cross blazed wide of the Zebretti goal.
It was end to end stuff as the final minutes of the half ticked away. The Zebretti controlled possession for long periods but couldn’t break down the stubborn Granata defence. Torino again on the counter put together a lovely move which found Immobile inside the penalty area with the goal to shoot at, but a last minute sliding tackle from Danilo blocked the Italian strikers shot. There were claims of a hand ball but they were waved away by referee Valeri Paolo.
Torino was unchanged going into the second half while Francesco Guidolin made his first substitution bringing in Piotr Zielinski for the already cautioned Emmanuel Badu.
With the Zebretti pushing forward for the equalizer, the Granata took advantage of the space and twice nearly doubled their lead through Alessio Cerci and then Ciro Immobile but both shots failed to test Scuffet in goal.
In the 56th minute the Granata finally got the second goal they had been threatening for some time when Maksimovic played a lovely ball behind the Udinese defence to the feet of Ciro Immobile, the Italian left no doubt about his finish as he cooly beat Scuffet in goal to double Torino’s advantage.
Immobile received a standing ovation from the Granata faithful as he made way for Meggiorini in the 71st minute.
Torino continued to hit the Zebretti on the counter and in the 78th minute a sizzling strike from Riccardo Meggiorini forced a fine diving save from Scuffet to deny a third goal for the Granata.
Udinese forced a last minute save from Daniele Padelli who just got a fingertip to the ball to deny Hassan Yebda a goal from distance, and his fine reactions to punch the ensuing corner ensured a clean sheet for the Granata.
