Cesena 0 : 1 Udinese - Fabbrini strike enough for Udinese

Diego Fabbrini's early strike lifted Udinese to a crucial 1-0 victory in their fight to secure Champions League football next season.

After third-placed Napoli defeated Palermo last night, Udinese came into tonight's game at relegated Cesena knowing only three points would be sufficient to keep them on level terms in the fight for the final Champions League berth.

Fabbrini's fourth-minute goal ultimately proved sufficient, but Udinese rode their luck with the hosts only denied a 20th-minute equaliser when Adrian Mutu clattered a penalty against the crossbar.

Udinese are locked on 58 points with Napoli with two games remaining.

The visitors went ahead with their first attack of the match, Danilo playing in Fabbrini whose left-footed shot beat Nicola Ravaglia with ease into the bottom-left corner.

Damjan Djokovic's speculative effort for the hosts was comfortably saved by Samir Handanovic a minute later, but Cesena continued to press and had a golden chance to pull level on 20 minutes when they were awarded a penalty.

Maurizio Domizzi was the guilty party with a foul on Mutu, but the veteran Romanian striker struck the bar with his spot-kick as Udinese survived.

Ravaglia saved Danilo's header on 24 minutes as Udinese hit back, while the home goalkeeper was again called into action on 32 minutes as he denied Antonio Di Natale's drive from the edge of the area.

A minute later Ravaglia was beaten but Kwadwo Asamoah saw his effort come back off the bar.

The second half lacked the drama of the first with both sides reduced to shots from distance that did little to trouble either goalkeeper.

Udinese's Giampiero Pinzi came closest to adding to the scoring after the break but his right-footed effort four minutes from full-time whistled just the wrong side of the post.