Serie A | Monza 1-1 Udinese: Cioffi starts with a point

Gabriele Cioffi made his debut on the Udinese bench and picked up a point with Lorenzo Lucca cancelling out the Andrea Colpani opener for Monza.

Andrea Sottil was sacked this week after managing just six draws in nine rounds, so Cioffi returned to the job he had held from December 2021 to June 2022. The injury list remained extensive with Sandi Lovric, Vivaldo Semedo, Gerard Deulofeu, Brenner, Kingsley Ehizibue and Enzo Ebosse. Monza had Danilo D’Ambrosio suspended after his red card against Roma, plus Armando Izzo and Gianluca Caprari on the treatment table. Papu Gomez continued his appeal against a two-year doping ban.

Samuele Vignato had a rare start and cut inside to shoot straight at Marco Silvestri, while Jaka Bijol nodded a Lazar Samardzic free kick over the bar.

Moments later, another Samardzic set play wreaked havoc for goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, but it was Monza who broke the deadlock.

Giorgos Kyriakopoulos got down the left and put in a cross, it bounced and Andrea Colpani adjusted his body perfectly to score on the half-volley from 12 yards with his right boot, catching his defender unawares.

Jordan Zemura did well to control a cross from six yards, but Di Gregorio came flying out to deny him from six yards one-on-one.

Christian Kabasele also had to make a decisive interception when Lorenzo Colombo rolled across for what would’ve been a Colpani tap-in.

Udinese got their equaliser when a very long Joao Ferreira throw-in bounced in the box, Kabasele cushioned it off his chest for substitute Lorenzo Lucca to fire in at the back post.

Silvestri flew to palm the sensational Patrick Ciurria curler out of the far top corner, as it was Monza who pushed more in the closing stages.

Monza 1-1 Udinese

Colpani 27 (M), Lucca 66 (U)