Udinese caused a huge upset by thrashing Serie A leaders Roma with some clinical counter-attacks and pouncing on individual errors from Rick Karsdorp and Rui Patricio, as Destiny Udogie was again on target.

The Giallorossi went into the weekend as joint leaders with Atalanta and with only one goal conceded, but lost Stephan El Shaarawy and Marash Kumbulla, joining injured Nicolò Zaniolo, Georginio Wijnaldum and Ebrima Darboe. The Friulani were without Adam Masina and rested Beto, but England manager Gareth Southgate was in the stands to watch Tammy Abraham and Chris Smalling.

Watch the highlights here.

Paulo Dybala drilled just wide of the far post after 25 seconds, but Udinese took the lead thanks to a defensive howler.

Rick Karsdorp tried to chest a Roberto Pereyra floated cross to his goalkeeper at the back post, not realising Destiny Udogie was right behind him and ready to prod in the loose ball from a couple of yards.

Marco Silvestri made a crucial save to push Dybala’s effort wide and Jaka Bijol went off with an ankle injury, while Gerard Deulofeu fired a free kick past the post.

Bryan Cristante’s header landed on the roof of the net and Rui Patricio was right behind a well-taken Pereyra volley.

Roma were struggling and Jose Mourinho made a tactical switch, introducing Andrea Belotti for Cristante. Zeki Celik also came on and within a couple of minutes went down in the box after a nudge in the back from Rodrigo Becao, but the referee judged it to be insufficient for a penalty.

Udinese doubled their lead after another terrible individual error, as Lazar Samardzic let rip from distance and it bounced right in front of Rui Patricio, going in off his gloves.

Gianluca Mancini was unlucky to see his header bounce off the frame of the goal from a Dybala corner, but Udinese added a third on the counter when Jean-Victor Makengo laid it off for Pereyra, whose swerving shot found Rui Patricio late to get across at the far top corner.

Abraham went off after falling awkwardly on his shoulder and Makengo nearly made it 4-0 after a Deulofeu counter, drilling inches wide from the edge of the area.

Mady Camara came on for his debut, only for Udinese to get a fourth on the counter from a Roma corner, Pereyra laying it off for Sandi Lovric to sweep home from 10 yards through Rui Patricio’s legs.

Smalling shinned a clearance and almost scored an own goal from six yards and Belotti would’ve received a penalty for a trip from behind in stoppages if not for the offside flag.

Udinese 4-0 Roma

Udogie 5 (U), Samardzic 56 (U), Pereyra 75 (U), Lovric 82 (U)

7 thought on “Serie A | Udinese 4-0 Roma: Leaders dismantled”
  1. I said they where overrated before the season started, and would be lucky to get 5th place when others was saying they would chellenge for the title…

  2. Sadly, after this game it is obvious that Roma is NOWHERE NEAR Milan‘s level.

    Milan was losing against Udinese 1-0. They were given a pathetic penalty to equalise and went on to win the game.
    Roma was losing against Udinese 1-0. There was a clear penalty on Celik, but wasn’t given. Roma didn’t equalise and went on to lose the game.

    I don’t know what more can Roma do. I was at the Dacia arena and it was overrun by Romanisti.
    There is hype around Roma, but refs still don’t give them the same treatment that Milan Fan’s team get.

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