Bab 78: Chapter 78: Gaining the Upper Hand
Chapter 78: Gaining the Upper Hand
The Friuli Stadium erupted with cheers. Roberto Pereira, successful in beating the offside trap, was thrilled, knowing this was his moment. The Argentine midfielder, who joined Udinese in 2011 and became a starter last season, found his playing time greatly reduced this season due to the arrivals of Bruno and Mahrez in the summer. The squad's ample midfield options, including Bruno's immediate lock on a starting spot, left Pereira feeling the pressure.
Facing Fiorentina's advancing goalkeeper Neto, Pereira displayed commendable composure. Without hesitation, he curled the ball towards the far post, crafting a beautiful arc that bypassed Neto on the left. Neto, helpless at such a close and decisive shot, could only hope Pereira's execution was off. Then, the overwhelming roar of the Friuli Stadium confirmed the worst for Neto.
"Pereira! Pereira! Pereira! He scores, and Udinese takes the lead, 1-0! What a beautiful shot! In the 34th minute, Udinese finally breaks through!"
"This key goal breaks the deadlock against a defensively tight team; it's crucial for opening up the game. Now 1-0, Fiorentina's defensive strategy fails. Falling behind, they can no longer justify sitting back. And once Fiorentina starts pressing, they will face even greater troubles because Udinese excels at quick counter-attacks."
Fiorentina's players, realizing this, looked visibly deflated, staring blankly as Udinese celebrated. Pereira, running towards the corner flag, punched the air in celebration towards the stands, where Udinese fans surged forward in excitement. On the pitch, Udinese players gathered around Pereira, celebrating this timely and critical goal—it was like piercing through a barrier, a goal that could pave the way to victory.
On the sidelines, Coach Guidolin stood from his seat, applauding briefly before standing still, watching the field without excessive celebration—a signal to his players: one goal wasn't enough to satisfy him.
Fiorentina's coach Montella was also displeased with the score. Since taking over last summer, Montella had transformed Fiorentina from a mid-table team to a side playing beautiful, attacking football, finishing fourth in Serie A last season, right above Udinese. Today at the Friuli Stadium, Montella opted for a conservative tactic, knowing Udinese thrived in open games. However, with Udinese scoring first, Montella realized his strategy might have backfired, as it left his players confused and ineffective.
With the game now against them, Montella decided it was time for Fiorentina to return to their familiar style. Trailing in the game, they had no choice but to attack.
Twelve minutes later, Montella's decision proved costly as his team, pushing forward, was caught on a counter by Udinese. Bruno launched a long pass towards Mahrez. Fiorentina midfielder Aquilani, knowing he couldn't match Mahrez's pace, resorted to pulling him down, earning a yellow card.
Udinese's free kick was masterfully executed by Bruno. Fiorentina's goalkeeper Neto had no answer to the beautiful curl from Bruno.
"GOOOOOOOLLLLL!!!!!! Bruno Fernandes! What a curve! Bruno scores directly from the free kick."
"As the first half enters stoppage time, Udinese, led by midfield maestro Bruno Fernandes, extend their lead at home to two goals against Fiorentina!"
Shortly after this goal, the referee blew the whistle for half-time with Udinese leading 2-0.
Starting the second half with a two-goal advantage, Guidolin instructed Udinese to adopt a more conservative approach, conserving energy in preparation for the tough schedule ahead. With a comfortable lead, it was crucial for the players to conserve energy facing a rigorous upcoming fixture list.
Fiorentina, needing to change the game's dynamics, pressed forward, which was their only option unless they were willing to concede defeat.
By the 70th minute, the score remained 2-0. Guidolin began to rotate his squad, bringing on Macsuel, who had been out with an injury for nearly a month, in place of Mahrez. Alan, having reconciled with Guidolin, came on for the veteran Pizarro. The last substitution was Muriel for captain Di Natale.
Udinese's third goal came in the 81st minute. Young Muriel showcased his speed and agility on the flank, breaking past Borja Valero, then cutting inside swiftly to beat the approaching defender Rodriguez with a low shot that forced a handling error from Neto. Heurtaux was on hand to finish the rebound.
3-0! This goal effectively sealed the victory.
Ten minutes later, the referee signaled the end of the match, a 3-0 victory for Udinese over Fiorentina. This marked Udinese's second win of the season against a top-six team and set them off on the right foot for their challenging series of fixtures.
In other Serie A action, it was a round full of surprises. Napoli faced an unexpected defeat at home to 16th-placed Parma, losing 0-1. Inter Milan drew 1-1 at Bologna, and Roma, still shaken from their loss to Udinese that ended their winning streak, drew with Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico, extending their winless run to four games.
Of the top six teams, only Juventus and Udinese managed victories. Juventus solidified their lead with a 2-0 win over Bruno's former club Novara at the Piola Stadium. After 13 rounds, Juventus led the table with 34 points, followed by Roma and Udinese tied at 30 points, with Udinese trailing on goal difference. Napoli slipped to fourth with 28 points, while Inter remained fifth with 26 points, and Fiorentina sixth with 24 points. (End of Chapter)
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