Udinese got off to the perfect start, almost taking the lead after just a couple of minutes. Maicosuel's volley was well saved by Jean-François Gillet, before the Belgian made an even better stop to deny Giampiero Pinzi's drilled shot from the edge of the area.
Udinese vs Torino, Final Score 1-0: Zebrette withstand Toro barrage in narrow win
Torino threw the kitchen sink at Udinese in a second half onslaught, though after conceding an early goal they could never draw level, leaving coach Gianpiero Ventura on the verge of explosion on the touchline.
Only seven minutes into the match the Zebrette were ahead, after Antonio Di Natale's initial effort was kept out by Gillet, only for it to fall kindly at the feet of Roberto Pereyra. The Argentine tapped the ball into the back of the net to open the scoring.
It was a dominant start from the hosts, and after trapping a long-ball well, Di Natale rounded Gillet well, only to scuff his shot wide when Maicosuel was waiting in a much better position.
Slowly Torino came into the game, though it should have been almost out of sight before they had the chance. A scrappy cross came through for Maicosuel at the back post. Free, and in acres of space, he could only smash the ball low against the woodwork.
Torino started the second half much better than the first, with main dangerman Alessio Cerci going close with a couple of long-range efforts in quick succession. The first whistled over the bar, before the second smashed against it.
Udinese could have killed the game again after the hour, playing in their usual counter-attacking fashion. A long ball up towards Di Natale found its intended target, though he flashed his shot across the face of goal and behind.
Torino had their opponents pushed back into their own half, with only Di Natale in front of the ball. Granata substitute Jonathas almost flicked the ball in from a corner, though it wasn't their day. Despite comfortably having more possession, only one of their nine shots in the entire match tested Daniele Padelli.
The victory sees Udinese into eighth place, now just four points off a Europe League spot -- albeit with Inter Milan playing later this evening. As for Torino, their run of seven unbeaten has come to an end, though they're sitting pretty in 11th place.
Udinese (3-5-1-1): Daniele Padelli; Maurizio Domizzi, Gabriele Angella, Mehdi Benatia; Giovanni Pasquale (Gabriel Silva 76), Allan, Giampiero Pinzi, Roberto Pereyra, Dušan Basta; Maicosuel (Matías Campos 61); Antonio Di Natale (Mattias Ranégie 84)
Torino (4-2-4): Jean-François Gillet; Salvatore Masiello, Guillermo Rodríguez, Kamil Glik, Danilo D'Ambrosio; Alessandro Gazzi, Matteo Brighi (Giuseppe Vives 57), Mario Santana, Riccardo Meggiorini (Jonathas 57), Barreto (Abou Diop 76), Alessio Cerci
Goals: Roberto Pereyra 8 (U)
See More:
