Lazio Remains Perfect: Udinese Suffers a Late Home Loss

Lazio is also sitting atop Serie A with a perfect record, alongside Roma and Inter. The Biancocelesti also came away with a win on Udinese’s home turf, defeating them 2-1 in the closing moments of a match that was anything but straightforward. Leading early in the second half thanks to a goal by Karlstrom, Udinese saw their lead erased and then overturned in the final quarter-hour by goals from the ever-reliable Frattesi and—just moments before the 90th minute—Gudmundsson. The last time Lazio won its first three games of a Serie A season was 14 years ago: it happened again in 2026, with Gennaro Gattuso at the helm.

In the first half, it was clear that the match was wide open and any outcome was possible. In fact, Nuno Tavares had the first real chance, but at the other end, Mandas made two crucial saves—first against Davis and then on Kamara’s immediate follow-up. Lazio, however, was the more proactive side, with Zaccagni on a free kick and then Isaksen with a header. Udinese escaped unscathed even after a defensive blunder by Vojvoda and Okoye, with Miller making a prodigious sliding save to prevent Zaccagni from firing into a completely empty net. And the home team also had to do without Piotrowski and then Solet, both of whom were forced to leave the game due to injury.

After all the excitement, the goals finally came in the second half. In the 49th minute, Udinese scored with a splendid, vertical attack capped off by Davies’ assist to Karlstrom, who was ruthless at the near post. There was another injury, this time affecting Gattuso’s team: Pinamonti went out, and Noslin came in. But Lazio once again found the strength to pull out a win. The equalizer came from the true star of this early season: Davide Frattesi, who in the 76th minute capitalized on Zaccagni’s move down the left flank, burst into the box, and slammed the ball into the net. There’s no shortage of chances for the Biancocelesti (including a great shot by Zaccagni that hit the post), then in the 88th minute comes yet another cross from the left—this time from Doekhi—and Gudmundsson’s winning header.

Frattesi’s goal is his third in three league games, confirming an extraordinary start to the season for the Roman midfielder. This performance comes as no surprise to those who know him well: “I’d go to war for Gattuso,” Frattesi had declared on the day of his official presentation. “ “It’s something that goes way back; I’ve always been a Lazio fan, and when the opportunity arose, I didn’t think twice—money isn’t everything.” Words that are being proven true on the field, game after game.

Gudmundsson, on the other hand, scored his first goal in a Biancocelesti jersey. The Icelandic player arrived on loan from Fiorentina with a buyout clause set at around 13 million euros, and has already proven to be a valuable asset in Gattuso’s lineup: capable of playing both as a left winger and behind the center forward, he made an impact as a substitute at the very most critical moment of the match, confirming the value of the transfer.

The victory in Udine comes at a time when Lazio is dealing with a long list of unavailable players. In addition to Pinamonti’s injury sustained in Monday night’s match, Gattuso is currently without Rovella and Cataldi in midfield, while Patric’s recovery remains a longer-term issue. The Calabrian coach, however, has shown he knows how to manage the crisis, building a team capable of winning even in difficult circumstances.

On the opposing side, Runjaic’s Udinese came away with a loss but put up a respectable fight. The Friulians, who had started the season with four points in the first two matchdays thanks to a draw with Como and a win on the road against Monza, continue to prove themselves to be a well-organized and tough team to face. Their qualification for the Round of 16 in the Coppa Italia—achieved just a few days ago with a 2-1 comeback victory over Venezia—shows that this is a group with a solid foundation to build upon. Their next match in the competition will pit them against Atalanta.