Serie A | Udinese 0-1 Salernitana: Verdi stunner keeps race open

Simone Verdi of US Salernitana scores the 0-1 winning goal during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and US Salernitana at Dacia Arena on April 20, 2022 in Udine, Italy.

Salernitana are not relegated yet, as they snatched a shock victory away to Udinese in stoppages with a Simone Verdi counter-attack and left Genoa in bottom spot.

This fixture was postponed from December 2021 due to a COVID outbreak. Milan Djuric and Paolo Mazzocchi sat out bans for Salernitana, while Beto and Roberto Pereyra were injured for the hosts.

Gerard Deulofeu flashed a shot across the face of goal and Luigi Sepe’s gloves were stung by a Lazar Samardzic scorcher from distance.

Emiliano Bonazzoli failed to make the most of a defensive error, blasting off target, while Luca Ranieri was unable to surprise Marco Silvestri and Federico Fazio nodded a free kick over the bar.

Sepe spilled an Ignacio Pussetto cross and Nadir Zortea had to make a desperate clearance to prevent Destiny Udogie tapping in the rebound.

Salernitana had the best chance of the game on 81 minutes when Mikael pounced on a Marvin Zeegelaar error and unleashed a long-range effort that took a deflection off Pablo Marì to smack against the upright with Silvestri beaten, while Bonazzoli failed to turn in the follow-up.

Udinese almost won it moments later, Deulofeu’s free kick dipping over the wall until Sepe palmed it out from the near top corner.

Verdi had a free kick in the final minute, which Rodrigo Becao bravely charged down with his face.

It still wasn’t over, as deep into stoppages Salernitana went on a rapid counter-attack three against one, Ederson picked the perfect pass to send Verdi through and he kept his cool to beat on-rushing Silvestri.

The result allowed them to leapfrog Genoa and they still have a game in hand.