Three first-half goals see Udinese cruise past Cremonese
Udinese already had little to play for, after just three wins in 22 league matches prior to kick-off, though it was impossible to tell given their explosive start to this Sunday clash.
Just two minutes in, some neat interplay just outside the Cremonese area around a ponderous Grigiorossi backline saw Samardzic burst through the lines from Sandi Lovric’s pass, and fire with the outside of his boot past the despairing dive of Marco Carnesecchi.
Cremonese came inches away from quickly responding, as a cross from the left allowed Frank Tsadjout to place a header just wide of Marco Silvestri’s near post.
However, La Cremo’s backline never looked comfortable, and Udinese seemingly ended the game as a contest with the half-hour mark looming, after they won a free kick on the left flank. Samardzic swung the ball towards the lurking Nehuen Perez, whose bullet header nestled past a stranded Carnesecchi for his first goal since matchday nine back in October.
If the away side's defending was bad for that second goal, it was best described in words banned from Flashscore reports for the third. Profiting richly from what initially looked like an innocuous long ball from Jaka Bijol, Isaac Success darted through a gaping hole in Cremonese’s backline and slotted home one of the easiest strikes of his career, ending a scoring drought of over a year and celebrating with all due passion.
That set the Bianconeri up for a more leisurely second half, and while there was very little sign of more destruction, Udinese continued to dictate much of the play.
They came particularly close to a fourth when a Kingsley Ehizibue header saw Carnesecchi react magnificently to parry away, while Cremonese’s attempts to restore some pride remained sporadic and insultingly easy for the Udinese defence to deal with.
Substitute Beto also brought out the best in Carnesecchi, with a shot at point-blank range after yet another defensive calamity from La Cremo.
Having lost 3-0 to European hopefuls Roma in the last round of Serie A battles, this was the perfect riposte as Udinese aim to rediscover the autumn form that once saw them considered dark horses for Champions League football. As for Cremonese, it looks as though only a true miracle will keep them in the Italian top flight, with eight points still the gap to safety for a Grigiorossi side that is still giving away goals for fun.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Lazar Samardzic (Udinese)