Udinese-Napoli 1-3, Lukaku starts the Azzurri comeback

Udine, 14 December 2024 - TheUdinese he deludes himself with the penalty reiterated in the bag by Thauvin after the parade of Meret and perhaps even more so thanks to the many miracles of Sava, but in the second half everything changes. The Napoli rather absent-minded and not very convinced of the first half makes room for a Napoli who returns to the field with a bad face, immediately impacting with Lukaku, which thus interrupts a very long fast: the comeback operation is completed by the own goal of Giannetti on the umpteenth initiative of Neres, promised with flying colours as a substitute for kvaratskhelia, and AnguissaThe Azzurri thus manage to raise their heads after the two consecutive defeats inflicted by Lazio in Coppa Italia and in the championship, in addition to keeping pace with theAtalanta, still at the top of the list +2.  

The official lineups

  Runjaic choose a 3-5-2 open from Sava, protected by Kristensen, jewelry e Giannetti, with Heyzibue e Zemura on the bands and Lovric, Karlstrom ed Ekkelenkamp on the median: in front it's up to Thauvin e Lucca. Tale reply with a 4-3-3 that he sees between the posts Meret, with By Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Good morning e Olive in defense and Anguissa, Lobotka e McTominay in midfield: the attacking line features the protagonists politan, Lukaku e Neres.  

First half

  At 3' a cross from politan it is intercepted by the home defense, which however does not completely clear: Olive he dives head first into the clearance but fails to hit the target. Napoli keep pressing and earn two corners in a row: on the continuation of the second By Lorenzo cross to the far post for Neres, who from an excellent position hits badly and wastes a great chance. The response of theUdinese it's sudden, because at 11' Thauvin puts a great ball in the middle for Ekkelenkamp, who in turn fails to find the goal. The black and whites, after a period of apnea, insist and become dangerous precisely with Thauvin, who this time tries to do everything by himself: however, the preparation for the shot is unfortunate and the ball flies over the crossbar Meret. In the 17th minute the Azzurri become dangerous again with a low cross from Olive, served by Lobotka, that Heyzibue sweeps away with difficulty. At 19' Neres tries to do it all by himself: good the breakthrough with two opponents skipped, decidedly less good a conclusion too soft and not even precise. At 21' the episode that potentially can break the balance occurs: Zemura kicks from the edge and Lobotka he rejects with his arm too wide for the referee Duties, which indicates the disk. It is presented to you Thauvin, which goes to the right of Meret: the latter rejects but can do nothing about the subsequent tap-in by the local number 10. TheUdinese insists and at 27' a cross as usual Zemura at the suggestion of Ekkelenkamp creates quite a bit of panic in the visiting defense. On the counterattack Neres he goes away and crosses the ball which, when deflected, becomes a very serious threat for Sava, who saves himself by pure instinct: on the subsequent corner he stands out By Lorenzo but without precision. In the meantime for Runjaic Here comes the first bad news of the evening: Lovric he stops due to a physical problem and is forced to leave the field which is the prerogative of Atta, which immediately presents itself with a nice closure on Olive and then with a foul on Lobotka, also getting a yellow card. At 36' Neres takes charge of kicking a corner: the ball arrives at Anguissa, who coordinates but has to deal with the great reflexes of Sava. On the reversal of front also the Friulians gain a turn from the flag which ends with an attempt of Thauvin, this time hypnotized by Meret. At 43' jewelry anticipates Lukaku, sought by a cross of politan: the sphere becomes good for Olive, which is challenging Sava with a shot too central to cause problems. The home goalkeeper, in the first of the 3' of recovery, reads the suggestion perfectly Lukaku for Neres after a bad ball lost by Zemura, before intercepting a cut cross from politan.

Second half

  At 50' the Napoli draws thanks to Lukaku, which goes away with power between jewelry e Giannetti on the suggestion in depth of McTominay and in front of Sava he doesn't make a mistake. In fact, another match begins, which at 55' sees politan close the conclusion from the edge too much andUdinese in general closing too much behind. At 60' a cross cut than usual politan is touched first by Lukaku and then by McTominay: on the other side it puts in the middle Neres e Giannetti takes refuge in the corner, not without shivers. At 66' Neres enters the area and tries to serve Lukaku, anticipated to the last by jewelry. Heyzibue, who also missed out on the previous occasion, the Brazilian is suffering a lot and so Runjaic decides to replace it with Kamara. In reality, it changes little, because the Napoli continues to push and often breaks through from that lane: yet another cross from Neres yields yet another corner thanks to a deflection from Giannetti, who then at 76' touches the ball again but sends it behind Sava after a drumming action of its own Neres. Tale change: out Lukaku It's inside Simeon. The scoreboard also changes, because at 81' Anguissa he makes it three with a central penetration on a header from cholito, in turn sought by a throw from the rear of Lobotka. Runjaic you play it all out by taking away Giannetti, Ekkelenkamp e Zemura and inserting Bravo, Abankwah e Modesto, while the blue bench rises Breakers, gilmour e ngonge, which they replace Neres, Lobotka e politan. Duties assign 4' recovery times that also become garbage time for a game that has already said what it had to say: theUdinese he deludes himself but then in the second half he collapses under the blows of a Napoli which thus raises its head after two consecutive setbacks against the Lazio.