Bologna thumped Udinese 3-0 to leapfrog them in the table and the race for Europe, as a Stefan Posch screamer, Nikola Moro and Musa Barrow goals capped off a dominant performance.
Only one point separated these sides going into the weekend and both were missing numerous players. Marko Arnautovic and Andrea Cambiaso were injured for the hosts, who also lost goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski to flu symptoms, while Riccardo Orsolini was not 100 per cent fit. Walace, Nehuen Perez, Rodrigo Becao and coach Andrea Sottil were all suspended for the Friulani. Gerard Deulofeu and Enzo Ebosse were also sidelined, with Isaac Success another late absentee due to illness.
It took under three minutes to break the deadlock, as defender Stefan Posch unleashed a sudden rocket from a good 35 yards out that flew under the crossbar. Marco Silvestri seemed surprised by the swerve mid-air and had taken a step to the other side, leaving him off balance.
Sandi Lovric fired straight at Francesco Bardi from distance, but Bologna doubled their lead with Nikola Moro drilling low into the near bottom corner from the edge of the box with his right foot.
Posch was decisive at the other end too, performing a crucial goal-line clearance on the Marvin Zeegelaar header from a corner on 22 minutes, while Beto should’ve done better with a free header on Destiny Udogie’s cross and Zeegelaar fired over under pressure.
Beto turned Jhon Lucumi on the edge of the area to blast just over the bar, while Bardi palmed away a ferocious Lazar Samardzic free kick.
Udinese moved to a 4-2-3-1 formation for the second half, but Bologna added a third goal when Jerdy Schouten sent Giorgis Kyriakopoulos down the left, the roll across was stopped by Moro, who left it for Musa Barrow’s strike.
Moments later, Barrow almost got another, his right-foot curler just over the bar, then Posch saw his glancing header go wide.
Silvestri was glad Nicola Sansone scuffed his finish one-on-one after springing the offside trap, but Bardi got away with a huge error when sliding with the ball and stopping it right on the line.
Nico Dominguez and Sansone both skimmed the crossbar from distance.
Bologna 3-0 Udinese
Posch 3 (B), Moro 12 (B), Barrow 49 (B)
Player statistic
| Stefan Posch (Assist: Musa Barrow) |
 |
3' | ||
| 8' |  |
Jaka Bijol | ||
| Nikola Moro (Assist: Musa Barrow) |
|
12' | ||
| Jhon Lucumí | |
45+2' |
| Musa Barrow (Assist: Nikola Moro) |
|
49' |
Match statistic
