Toma Bašić and a stunning Kike Pérez strike gave Davide Nicola’s side their second win of the season, as Paolo Zanetti’s first game in charge of Udinese ended in defeat.
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Super Eagles forward Akor Adams played the full 90 minutes as Venezia beat Maduka Okoye’s Udinese 2-1 in a Serie A relegation clash at the Stadio Penzo on Friday night, November 6. The result ended Venezia’s three match losing run and sent Udinese to the bottom of the table.
Adams started in Nicola’s 3-5-2 alongside Yeboah, and it was his 11th Serie A appearance for the club. Okoye was also in action for Udinese, in what was his 11th league game of the season.
The match was goalless at half time and came alive after the break. Toma BaÅ¡ić put Venezia ahead in the 53rd minute with a left-footed finish, and Udinese levelled soon afterwards when Venezia defender MatÃas Moreno diverted a cross into his own net while trying to stop Keinan Davis.
The winner came in the 65th minute. Kike Pérez hit a superb shot from about 24 metres into the top corner, the longest goal from open play scored by Venezia in Serie A since September 2024.
Okoye was kept busy late on and punched clear a dangerous ball, after which Venezia’s Hainaut wasted a golden chance with a poor volley. The visitors pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages but could not break through.
A Much-Needed Lift For Venezia
The three points take Venezia to six points from 11 games, one more than Udinese, who now sit last on five. It is still a precarious position, and the club remains inside the relegation zone.
Venezia’s season has been tough. They lost nine of their first 10 league games, and Davide Nicola replaced Giovanni Stroppa as coach in mid October. The team’s only win before this game came against Napoli in Nicola’s first match, and they then lost three in a row, including defeats to Inter and Como. Fans who follow Serie A can check the Bet9ja promotion for Serie A weekends before the next round of games.
Udinese are in just as much trouble. They have lost seven of their last eight league games, including a 5-2 home defeat to Roma, which led to the sacking of Kosta Runjaić. Former Venezia coach Paolo Zanetti took charge for the first time and lost against his old club.
A Nigerian Duel In Italy
The match had a clear Nigerian flavour, with Adams and Okoye both on the pitch. Both are Super Eagles players, and Eric Chelle has yet to name his squad for the Tanzania qualifiers.
Okoye conceded twice, from Bašić’s finish and Pérez’s long-range strike, and he now plays for a club that is bottom of the table. Adams, meanwhile, will hope to build on a win that lifts the mood at Venezia. Readers who want to learn how offers work can read about the Bet9ja referral code for new users while they follow both players.
Venezia’s win also came with a quirky statistic. Moreno and Redouane Halhal both have two own goals this season, which makes Venezia only the third team in the three-points era to have two players with at least two own goals in a Serie A campaign.
For Nicola, the result is a big boost. He now has two wins in his short time in charge, and the team showed it can fight back when it matters.
There is still a long way to go in a season that has started so badly, but this was the kind of performance that gives a struggling squad belief. New Bet9ja users can look at Bet9ja’s YOHAIG match-day bonus as they follow Serie A.
📌 Did You Know?
- Kike Pérez’s 24.3-metre goal was Venezia’s longest from open play in Serie A since Gianluca Busio’s 27.2-metre strike against Genoa in September 2024.
- Venezia’s MatÃas Moreno and Redouane Halhal have both scored two own goals this season, a rare feat in the three-points era.
- Paolo Zanetti, who made his Udinese debut on the bench, previously coached Venezia.
- Udinese sacked Kosta Runjaić after seven defeats in eight games.
- Before this win, Venezia had lost to Inter and Como in their previous two league games.
