ROME, ITALY — What began as a battle between two mid-table Serie A sides desperate for points transformed into a thrilling showcase of resilience and clinical finishing, as Udinese stunned Torino with a remarkable 2-1 comeback victory at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino. The result lifted the visitors to 11th place on 22 points, while leaving Torino languishing in 13th with just 20 points from their 17 matches.
The opening 45 minutes belonged to neither side, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut opportunities in a cagey affair that reflected the stakes involved. Torino, sitting 13th in the table, controlled 53.6% of possession but failed to translate their territorial advantage into meaningful chances. The hosts' best opportunity came through Zakaria Aboukhlal, whose effort was comfortably dealt with by Maduka Okoye in the Udinese goal. The visitors, meanwhile, looked content to absorb pressure and hit on the counter-attack, with Nicolò Zaniolo and Alessandro Zanoli providing pace down the flanks.
The deadlock was finally broken five minutes into the second half when Udinese struck with devastating efficiency. Alessandro Zanoli, who had been a constant threat down the right wing, delivered a perfectly weighted pass into the penalty area where Nicolò Zaniolo was waiting. The former Roma winger made no mistake, drilling a right-footed shot from the centre of the box straight down the middle to give his side a crucial lead. The goal came against the run of play, with Torino having dominated the early exchanges of the second period.
Paolo Vanoli's side responded with increased urgency, introducing Ché Adams at the interval in search of greater attacking impetus. The Scottish striker immediately made his presence felt, linking up well with Giovanni Simeone and creating space for Nikola Vlasic to test Okoye from distance. However, it was Udinese who doubled their advantage in the 82nd minute through a moment of pure counter-attacking brilliance. Keinan Davis, who had been introduced as a substitute, led a lightning-fast break before squaring the ball for Jurgen Ekkelenkamp to tap home from close range, sending the traveling supporters into raptures.
The statistics told a fascinating story of a match that defied conventional wisdom. Despite Torino's slight edge in possession and matching Udinese's four shots on target, the visitors proved far more clinical in front of goal. Both teams registered identical totals of shots on target, but Udinese's ability to capitalize on their limited opportunities proved decisive. The hosts' frustration was evident in their 16 fouls compared to Udinese's eight, with Cesare Casadei picking up a late yellow card as tempers frayed.
Torino's late surge nearly produced a miraculous comeback when Cesare Casadei powered home a header from Valentino Lazaro's cross in the 87th minute, setting up a frantic finale. The midfielder's goal sparked wild celebrations among the home supporters, who sensed an unlikely equalizer was possible. Adams came agonizingly close to providing it, heading just wide from another Lazaro delivery in the final minute of normal time, but Udinese held firm to secure all three points.
The tactical battle was won by Kosta Runjaic's well-organized Udinese side, who demonstrated excellent defensive discipline throughout. Christian Kabasele and Thomas Kristensen formed an impressive partnership at the heart of defense, while Jesper Karlström provided the perfect shield in front of the back four. Torino's attacking trio of Simeone, Vlasic, and Aboukhlal struggled to find space against Udinese's compact defensive structure, managing just four shots on target despite their territorial dominance.
This victory represents a significant boost for Udinese's season ambitions, moving them within touching distance of the top half of the table. Their ability to grind out results away from home will serve them well in the coming months, particularly with their clinical finishing on display. For Torino, the defeat extends their inconsistent run of form and leaves them dangerously close to the relegation battle, with just seven points separating them from the drop zone.
Looking ahead, Torino will travel to face Atalanta on January 10, while Udinese will travel to face Pisa on January 10, both sides hoping to build momentum in the new year.