Key Highlights
Venezia delivered a brittle but crucial win, beating Udinese two goals to one at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo. The decisive moment arrived in the second half when Kike Pérez converted after a brief spell of frantic action that included a lead from Toma Bašić and an own goal conceded by Matías Moreno.
First Half
Venezia began on the front foot in a three five two shape, Juan Jesus marshalling the back line while John Yeboah and Akor Adams pressed high. That approach brought the clearer openings before the interval: Venezia edged the attacking momentum and accumulated the better expected goals figure and the more frequent attempts on goal. Antoine Hainaut forced a good save inside the opening ten minutes and there were several other near misses from both sides, including a wasteful Nicolò Zaniolo effort for Udinese. Udinese, set up in a three four three and led by Jesper Karlström, kept the game tense without ever sustaining control, and both goalkeepers were ultimately untroubled enough for the interval to arrive with the score nil nil.
Second Half
The second half began in an even rhythm. Udinese produced their clearest spell between the 43rd minute and the 52nd minute but failed to turn pressure into a goal. Venezia broke the deadlock in the 54th minute when Toma Bašić converted from Antoine Hainaut's set-up. The lead lasted only moments: Matías Moreno inadvertently turned play into his own net to level for Udinese three minutes later, an own goal that reshaped the contest. Udinese then tried to seize the initiative, prompting substitutions, but it was Venezia who found a decisive finish when Kike Pérez, Vazquez a swift delivery by Pasquale Mazzocchi, drilled the ball home in the 65th minute. After that, Udinese carried more of the possession and territory but could not fashion a match-winning chance, and Venezia held on to claim victory.
Closing Thoughts
The result is a rare piece of good news for Davide Nicola's Venezia, who climb off the bottom but remain deep in the relegation zone with only three points from ten matches; a trip to Juventus on November 22 will be a stern test of whether this is a turning point. For Paolo Zanetti's Udinese, successive league defeats leave them still mired near the foot of the table and in need of a response when they travel to Bologna on November 22. Over the full match Venezia offered the clearer cutting edge by expected goals and by creating the slightly better array of chances, even as Udinese controlled more of the ball, and that balance of threat rather than possession was the difference on the night.
