Udinese crashed again with Napoli. Not only Napoli beat Udinese 5 - 0 in the Second Round, but again it beat them 3 - 1 at the San Paolo Stadium.  Udinese could not avenge their honor and return empty handed while Napoli is all party time and Coach Edy Reja is saved -- for the moment.

                                               

Udinese Coach Pasquale Marino seems to have lost the magic for planning effective strategies. Strikers Antonio Di Natale and Fabio Quagliarella were not enough.  Here is where the saying of "a team is made up of 11 players not only one makes sense.

Although things started negatively for Napoli, with an own goal in the very beginning, they showed determination in the second half to win the match.

In the 3rd minute, just when Napoli striker Ezequiel Lavezzi sends a cross that Udinese defender Zapata tried to clear, it went just directly to their own net!  An own goal that felt like a cold shower for the men of Pasquale Marino.. 
Napoli 1 - 0 Udinese.

However, 5 minutes later, Udinese got their act together and equalized the match with striker Simone PEPE in the 8th minute. 
Pepe shoots a superb volley on a free kick blasting Napoli goalkeeper Matteo Gianello.
Napoli 1 - 1 Udinese.

In the 23rd minute, striker Ezequiel Lavezzi almost score after a free kick but the ball went wide!

In the 32nd minute, Udinese striker Fabio Quagliarella took a solo counterattack run over 30 meters!!!  Just when Udinese fans waited to shout the goal, Quagliarella miss to shoot with determination to Antonio Di Natale who was unmarked!  Incredible. What a wasted opportunity!

The first half ends  1- 1.

Just to put the cherry on the cake, again, Ezequiel Lavezzi profits from a mistake by Udinese defender Riccardo Colombo and voila', there you go. GOOOAALLLLLL Goalkeeper Handanovic could not save the ball. A terrible mistake by the newly signed Colombo!
Napoli 3 - 1 Udinese.

In the 85th minute when Coach Reja substitutes Ezequiel Lavezzi for Bogliacino, the entire Stadium gives him an outstanding ovation!  Well done Lavezzi.

LINE UPS

Week 21 Italian Serie A Tim 2007 - 2008  Twenty first Round Matchday 21

Saturday, February 2, 2008
Napoli   3 -  1 Udinese
San Paolo Stadium

Referee: Nicola Ayroldi (Molfetta);
Assistants: Stefani, Faverani;
Fourth Official: Celi

GOAL SCORERS: 3' Zapata (own goal) (N)   8' Pepe (U), 74' Ezequiel Lavezzi (N), 75' Ezequiel Lavezzi (N)

NAPOLI (3-5-2)

Gianello; Grava, Cannavaro, Contini; Garics (51' Santacroce), Blasi, Gargano, Hamsik (74’ Pazienza), Mannini; Lavezzi (85’ Bogliacino), Zalayeta.

Subs not used:. Del Giudice, Montervino, Sosa, Calaiò.

Coach: Edy Reja 

UDINESE (3-4-3)

Handanovic; Zapata, Felipe (77' Floro Flores), Lukovic; Ferronetti (70' Colombo), Inler, D’Agostino (88' Eremenko) Dossena; Pepe, Quagliarella, Di Natale.

Subs not used: Chimenti, Coda, Isla, Candreva,

Coach:  Pasquale Marino

BOOKED: Pepe (U) Felipe (U) Mannini (N) Dossena (U) Zapata (U)
SENT OFF: Paolo Cannavaro (N) Pepe (U)