Udinese completed an incredible comeback after falling behind 2-0 to hold league leaders Atalanta to a 2-2 draw while having chances to win in extra time.
One point separated joint leaders Atalanta and Napoli from third-place Udinese, which was an unexpected head-to-head at the top of the table. Gian Piero Gasperini also coached Atalanta in his 300th game.
The only player missing from the hosts’ six straight victories was Adam Masina, and Rodrigo Becao was available on the bench. La Dea was without Rafael Toloi, Berat Djimsiti, Davide Zappacosta, Juan Musso, Duvan Zapata, and defender Jose Luis Palomino due to a doping suspension.
Before the game began, there was a moment of silence to honor the late Udinese director Lorenzo Toffolini.
With a shoddy finish at the back post following a deft right-side cross from Ademola Lookman, Luis Muriel should have performed better.
When Teun Koopmeiners floated a very long ball over the top from almost inside his own penalty area, Muriel controlled it, cut inside from the left, rolled his pass across Mario Pasalic, and was prepared for Lookman to tap in at the back post.
The controversy also stemmed from Lookman’s booking for an allegedly “insulting” celebration toward the Udinese supporters. However, it was just his customary binoculars gesture, and the player appeared perplexed by the card.
Beto misjudged the height of his diving header after Sandi Lovric’s right-side cross, but Marco Silvestri misjudged a fierce Koopmeiners free kick and was grateful to Walace for deflecting it before Muriel could reach the rebound from five yards.
Despite Marco Silvestri guessing correctly, Destiny Udogie’s tackle on Muriel resulted in a clear penalty that the Colombian also converted low into the near bottom corner.
Tolgay Arslan missed the target with a shot from Udinese, but Gerard Deulofeu responded with a beautiful free kick that he curled over the wall and into the near post for his first Serie A goal of the year.
That roused the Friulani, and shortly after, Hans Hateboer threw himself in the way of a close-range Udogie finish to avert the equalizer.
Isaac Success came within millimeters of converting the Lazar Samardzic cross that flashed across the goal, but Udinese tied the score on a quick corner technique.
Roberto Pereyra at the byline was able to pull back Deulofeu’s no-look pass for the close-range header from Nehuen Perez.
Perez came back for a decisive defensive header to stop Ederson from nodding in the Hateboer cross from six yards away, so the game was still far from over. After a Samardzic back-heel flick, Deulofeu’s free kick skimmed the crossbar and Tolgay Arslan’s angled drive flashed just wide.
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