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·18 February 2024

Serie A | Udinese 1-1 Cagliari: Relegation stalemate

Gianluca Gaetano cancelled out the fantastic Jordan Zemura curler into the far top corner, as Udinese and Cagliari shared the spoils.

This was a real relegation dogfight and the Sardinians were in crisis after four consecutive defeats, plus Simone Aresti suspended, Gaetano Oristanio, Pantelis Hatzidiakos, Eldor Shomurodov and Marco Mancosu injured. The Friulani were fresh off a shock 1-0 win away to Juventus, though Jaka Bijol, Enzo Ebosse and Gerard Deulofeu remained long-term absentees, joined on the treatment table by Roberto Pereyra.

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Simone Scuffet smothered an early Kingsley Ehizibue snapshot, but Jordan Zemura broke the deadlock with his first ever Serie A goal.

He gathered just inside the box from Ehizibue, controlled with his left boot to cut inside a defender and curl right-footed into the far top corner. Zemura also became the first ever player from Zimbabwe to score in Serie A.

There was a triple Udinese opportunity, as Ehizibue, Florian Thauvin and Zemura all saw shots charged down in the same move.

Lorenzo Lucca really should’ve made it 2-0 only to steer a free header wide from Thauvin’s cross, while Lazar Samardzic blasted just over following an error playing out from the back.

Cagliari were pinned back for most of the first half, but came out of their shell towards half-time. First Gianluca Lapadula’s free kick was smothered with difficulty, then Gianluca Gaetano spread the play down the left for Tommaso Augello and rose for the glancing header on the cross back in to equalise.

Straight after the restart, Lapadula threatened to put the visitors in front with a ferocious volley that smacked against the crossbar from 12 yards.

Lucca and Thauvin again went close with volleys that flashed just past the post, while Zito Luvumbo failed to connect with the Gaetano ball across the six-yard box.

Samardzic fired just wide from the edge of the area with his right foot, while Alessandro Di Pardo blasted over after a corner in stoppages.

Yerry Mina made a crucial block showing his experience to stop the Festy Ebosele counter-attack one-on-one.