Roma beat Udinese 2-1 at the Stadio Friuli on Sunday afternoon.
The Giallorossi started the match on fire and opened the scoring in the 14th minute through Edin Dzeko. The Zebrette made a strong response, but eventually I Lupi’s quality paid dividends in the 74th minute when Alessandro Florenzi made it 2-0.
However, in the 84th minute Udinese pulled a goal back through Bruno Fernandes.
Roma begun the match in determined fashion and created the game’s first opportunity. Stephen El Shaarawy whipped in an in-swinging cross into the penalty box and the ball was met by the head of Dzeko, but Dzeko’s effort was comfortably saved by Orestis Karnezis.
In the 9th minute, Mohamed Salah slipped in Diego Perotti behind the Udinese defence but once again Karnezis denied the Giallorossi the opening goal.
Five minutes later, the goal finally came for I Lupi. Perotti fired a pass into Salah, who with one touch flicked the ball beyond three Zebrette defenders and into the path of Dzeko. One on one with Karnezis the Bosnian made no mistake, slipping his shot into the net.
After the interval, Udinese made an immediate response. A corner was fizzed in and met by the head of Duvan Zapata, but his effort smacked off the post, saving Roma’s blushes.
Unlike the first-half the Zebrette’s defence was standing firm. Roma’s best chance came when El Shaarawy’s shot from the edge of the box was comfortably saved.
However, in the 74th minute the Giallorossi doubled their lead. Miralem Pjanic chipped a lovely ball in behind the Udinese defence, which Florenzi beautifully took down with his first touch, before gently poking it into the net.
Yet, Udinese responded swiftly. Antonio Di Natale fired in a low cross which Zapata touched back to Fernandes who drove his shot past Wojciech Szczesny.
The result leaves Udinese in 16th place whereas Roma stay third.
