Udinese secured a vital point in their Serie A survival bid with a dramatic last-gasp equalizer against Napoli, resulting in a hard-fought 1-1 draw.
Isaac Success emerged as the hero for Fabio Cannavaro’s side, salvaging a crucial point against a Napoli team struggling away from home, with just two wins in their last 13 away matches (D4, L7).
Starting the match three points adrift of safety, Udinese aimed for a positive start against a Napoli team experiencing a winless streak in their last three league games.
The initial stages saw a closely contested battle, with Napoli dominating possession but failing to create clear chances in the final third. This encouraged Udinese, with Lazar Samardzic and Jaka Bijol missing opportunities to break the deadlock before halftime.
Napoli came out stronger after the break, nearly scoring within minutes as Jens Cajuste’s effort was brilliantly saved by Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye. The visitors eventually found the breakthrough with Victor Osimhen heading home from Matteo Politano’s cross.
Udinese, struggling with just two points from their previous six matches, responded vigorously. Alex Meret in Napoli’s goal denied Isaac Success a goal, but Udinese persisted in their search for an equalizer. Napoli, however, looked dangerous, with Osimhen having a goal disallowed for offside and another saved by Okoye.
In a thrilling finale, Udinese snatched a crucial point in stoppage time as Isaac Success capitalized on Thomas Kristensen’s assist, slotting the ball into the net clinically.
This result brings Udinese closer to safety with three games remaining, while Napoli’s winless streak extends to four matches.