Venice, Second Win and Move Up the Standings: Udinese Loses Again and Is Last

Paolo Zanetti’s tenure as Udinese’s head coach begins with a loss. In his coaching debut with the Friuli-based club, Zanetti returned to the Penzo Stadium as an opponent—the very stadium where he had secured promotion to Serie A with Venezia—but was forced to concede defeat to the home team, who won 2-1 in the early match of the 11th league matchday. Kike Perez decided the match, scoring in the 65th minute with a splendid left-footed strike.

It was a bitter evening for Udinese, which needs to step up its game after a particularly difficult stretch, while Venezia earned three crucial points in the fight for survival. The first half ended scoreless, despite several chances for both sides. Venezia tried to take the initiative and came close to taking the lead, particularly through Hainaut, while Udinese responded with Ekkelenkamp, whose shot was denied by a decisive save from Stankovic. Davis also had a good opportunity but failed to capitalize on it. The teams headed into the locker rooms tied 0-0, with the match still wide open.

The match came alive in the second half. In the 53rd minute, Toma Basic broke the deadlock, finishing off a nice play developed on the right with a precise side-foot shot. Hainaut cuts to the byline and plays a cutback pass, which the midfielder is ready to meet, beating Okoye. Udinese reacts and, in the 57th minute, finds the equalizer, thanks in part to a bit of luck. Zaniolo crossed from the right; Davis managed to get a touch on the ball, and Matias Moreno’s deflection ended up in his own net. After a lengthy VAR review to check the Friulian forward’s initial position, the goal was allowed.

Venezia, however, didn’t let that faze them and immediately went back on the attack. In the 65th minute, the game-winning goal arrived: Mazzocchi set up Kike Perez, who took aim and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot that Okoye couldn’t stop. A spectacular strike that sent the Penzo into a frenzy and restored the lead for the Lagunari. In the closing minutes, Udinese tried to find the equalizer, but the score remained unchanged. The match ended 2-1.