Udinese have probably secured their Serie A safety and pushed local rivals Venezia towards relegation with this stoppage-time victory on the Laguna.
This was a Friuli-Venezia-Giulia Derby as well as a relegation tussle, although the visitors were almost safe in mid-table. Roberto Pereyra was suspended, but Gerard Deulofeu returned from his ban. Luca Lezzerini and Sergio Romero were still out injured, with Mattia Aramu and Antonio Vacca not at 100 per cent.
Dennis Johnsen’s first touch let him down one-on-one after an Ethan Ampadu long ball, while Destiny Udogie nodded Deulofeu’s cross wide.
Michael Cuisance brought down Deulofeu after a corner and the Spaniard converted the penalty himself, sending Niki Maenpaa the wrong way to drill into the bottom corner.
Straight after the restart, Beto failed to make the most of a double defensive howler from Ridgeciano Haps and Maenpaa, as the goalkeeper managed to sprint back for the block.
Thomas Henry saw his strike palmed away by Marco Silvestri after a Crnigoj flick-on, while Pietro Ceccaroni nodded over from a corner.
Maenpaa needed a double save to deny Jean-Victor Makengo’s lob, then palmed a splendid Nahuel Molina free kick just past the far post.
Venezia finally equalised in the closing stages when a remarkably long Ethan Ampadu throw-in was knocked down into the path of Henry to volley into the roof of the net from seven yards.
There was even worse news for Udinese moments later, as Beto was running on the counter by himself when he pulled up clutching his hamstring.
Udinese stole it at the death with a Rodrigo Becao header from a Samardzic corner after a period of extremely pressure.
Venezia 1-2 Udinese
Deulofeu pen 35 (U), Henry 86 (V), Becao 94 (U)