Udinese 2 : 1 Siena - Udinese keep up with the pace

Posted Sunday, November 06, 2011 by PA

Udinese kept up their challenge at the top of Serie A with a 2-1 victory over Siena at the Stadio Friuli.

Dusan Basta put the home team in front after only two minutes and Antonio Di Natale added a second for Francesco Guidolin's men in the 65th minute.

Francesco Bolzoni pulled a goal back for the visitors 13 minutes from time, but Udinese held on to move level with Lazio at the top of the table on 21 points.

Basta gave the home team a flying start when he pounced on a loose ball to beat Zeljko Brkic from close range after Di Natale's cross had first been met by Antonio Floro Flores, whose effort was blocked.

Di Natale almost added a second 10 minutes later with a curling free-kick which evaded everybody on its way just wide of the far post.

Siena's first effort on goal arrived in the 17th minute with Franco Brienza testing Samir Handanovic, who pushed the ball over for a corner.

Mattia Destro then tested the last line of the Udinese defence in the last minute of the first half, but the Slovenian again made a save.

Floro Flores came close to doubling Udinese's lead in the third minute of the second half, but Brkic made a good save to deny him.

The Udinese striker then came even closer with a shot which struck the post and Di Natale could not slot in the rebound.

Di Natale made Udinese's pressure count in the 65th minute when he showed why he is the league's top goalscorer once again by beating two defenders and then beating Brkic with a low shot into the far corner.

It was looking too easy for Udinese, but Bolzoni made them sweat when he reduced the arrears with a well-placed shot just under the crossbar in the 77th minute.

Di Natale almost gave them a bit of breathing room in the 81st minute when his header was saved at the second attempt by Brkic.

Guidolin then decided to remove one of his strikers and defend his side's lead with Floro Flores making way for Joel Ekstrand.

Udinese managed to hold on, despite a few scares from Gaetano D'Agostino.