Serie A | Udinese 0-1 Parma: Elphege can secure top flight status
Nesta Elphege’s debut Serie A goal has practically secured Parma’s Serie A status with a surprise victory away to Udinese.
The Friulani confirmed their giant-killer reputation by beating Milan and holding Como, but lost Keinan Davis to injury along with Jordan Zemura and Alessandro Zanoli. Parma were winless in six, but held Lazio and Napoli to stalemates. Benja Cremaschi and Matija Frigan missed the trip, but Mateo Pellegrino returned from suspension. Lautaro Valenti picked up an injury in the warm-up, replaced by Abdoulaye Ndiaye.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Alessandro Circati nodded a corner inches over the bar in the opening minutes for Parma, as Maduka Okoye was caught wrong-footed.
Nicolò Zaniolo went on the counter from a Parma corner only for Zion Suzuki to smother his pass at the feet of Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, while Hassane Kamara shinned a volley wide from a promising position.
Pellegrino went off at half-time after two accidental knocks to the head, and Ndiaye made a desperate interception to stop Ekkelenkamp tapping in the Arthur Atta roll across.
Substitute Nesta Elphege made an immediate impact by scoring his debut Serie A goal for Parma, gathering the Gabriel Strefezza assist with his back to goal, turning Christian Kabasele to burst into the box and fire past Okoye.
Moments later, Strefezza’s deflected shot was fingertipped over the bar, while Atta dribbled past two to test Suzuki at the near post.
Parma should’ve been 2-0 up on the hour mark, but Elphege seemed surprised that Okoye fumbled the Enrico Delprato low cross and only poked the rebound wide.
Udinese incredibly failed to equalise on 76 minutes at the end of a chaotic move. Oumar Solet dribbled into the box and his shot was charged down, so he stood up a cross for Idrissa Gueye’s header off the crossbar, and Zaniolo then nodded the rebound wide from four yards.
Thomas Kristensen was also forced off after a neck injury, while Gueye’s glancing header from a Jesper Karlstrom cross was smothered by Suzuki.
Zaniolo had a huge chance to score deep into stoppages, but the finish was off his weaker foot and allowed Suzuki to scramble across for a fingertip save.
Udinese 0-1 Parma
Elphege 51 (P)
Player statistic
| 51' |  |
Nesta Elphege (Assist: Gabriel Strefezza) | ||
| Nicolò Zaniolo | 71' | |||
| Jesper Karlström |  |
85' |
