Inter Milan, the current frontrunners in the Serie A, clinched a hard-fought victory against Udinese, prevailing with a late goal by Davide Frattesi during extra time to secure a 2-1 win.
Inter Milan, also known as the Nerazzurri, are on the verge of claiming the Serie A title after an exceptional season characterized by a near-perfect performance. With 25 victories out of 30 games played thus far, they are poised to add another Scudetto to their collection, a feat that would grant them supremacy over their local rivals AC Milan.
Conversely, Udinese has endured a challenging season, currently embroiled in a relegation battle with fewer than two months remaining in the league. The outcome of the match has intensified the pressure on Udinese’s manager, Gabriele Cioffi, and his squad as they strive to avoid relegation.
Inter held off by Udinese
Udinese initiated the proceedings at the Bluenergy Stadium, though Inter swiftly assumed dominance, exercising patience in their initial buildup while assessing the Friulian defense.
A fleeting belief in a penalty arose among the Nerazzurri after Kingsley Ehizibue’s challenge on Federico Dimarco, but the match officials opted against intervention.
Throughout the first half, Inter’s offensive pressure mounted, albeit without clear-cut opportunities. Hakan Calhanoglu came closest to scoring on two occasions, only to be thwarted by Maduka Okoye.
Just as Inter appeared poised to break the deadlock, Udinese reversed the momentum of the match.
Following a rapid advance, Lazar Samardzic found himself on the edge of the penalty area with minimal space. Although his shot was initially deflected, a perplexing hesitation from Denzel Dumfries allowed the ball to evade a bewildered Yann Sommer and find the back of the net, establishing a 1-0 lead for Udinese.
Inter failed to muster a response in the remaining minutes of the first half, setting up a formidable challenge for the second half.
Early into the second half, controversy ensued as Inter celebrated what they believed to be an equalizing goal from a Carlos Augusto header off a free kick, only for the play to be halted due to an offside call against Lautaro. Following an extensive review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), the goal was disallowed.
However, Inter quickly found their breakthrough. In the 53rd minute, a misjudged interception by Okoye led to a foul on Marcus Thuram, presenting Inter with a penalty opportunity. Hakan Calhanoglu confidently converted the spot-kick, leveling the score at 1-1.
Despite sustained pressure from Inter in the second half, Udinese exhibited resolute defending, denying the league leaders in their pursuit of a winning goal.
In the dying moments of the match, Inter’s perseverance bore fruit. Lautaro’s well-struck low shot was tipped onto the post by Okoye before being met by a charging Davide Frattesi, who emphatically converted to secure a 2-1 victory for the league leaders.