Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
UDINE – Total gloom at Udinese. The black-and-whites are failing to escape a crisis that was unforeseeable at the start of the season but is now evident in every respect. Within the friendly confines of the Bluenergy Stadium, Kosta Runjaic’s side collapsed 0-3 under the blows of an excellent Lecce, suffering their fifth consecutive defeat and sparking fierce protests from their own fans.
Salento dominance in the first half: Gaspar and N’Dri sink the Friulians
Yet Udinese’s start to the match had been encouraging in the first ten minutes. Then, the constant threat posed by Eusebio Di Francesco’s men took over. At the 11th minute, Lecce broke the deadlock: a corner from the right taken by Gallo and a winning header from Gaspar, scoring his first Serie A goal, aided by Karlstrom’s marking lapses and an empty-handed exit by goalkeeper Okoye.
The home defence was visibly shaky, with Ebosse, Abala and Solet in constant difficulty. Just after the half-hour mark came the Salento side’s second goal: another corner designed by Gallo and a decisive chest deflection from two yards by N’Dri. A deafening chorus of boos rose from the stands. In stoppage time, Fatah and Geubbels spared Okoye by missing the shot that would have delivered the final knockout blow.
Sterile reaction, goal disallowed by VAR and Siebert’s final third
At half-time, Runjaic attempted to shake up his team with a triple substitution: Palma, Piotrowski and Arizala came on for Alaba, Zarraga and Kamara. The Friulian side’s play grew in intensity and at the 60th minute Piotrowski scored from an Arizala assist, but referee Guida, after a VAR review, disallowed it for a millimetric offside by the Polish midfielder himself.
Lecce lowered their centre of gravity but managed without risking almost anything in front of Falcone. In the closing stages, the visitors pushed forward again: first Esteban hit the post, then in stoppage time Siebert’s winning right-foot shot sealed the final score at 0-3. This is Lecce’s second away win of the season after the one achieved in Venice. The atmosphere in Udine was extremely heavy: the fans in the Curva Nord left the stands a few minutes before the 90th minute as a sign of open protest.
