Veteran striker Antonio di Natale scored a double in a 4-2 win for Udinese over 10-man Parma that moved the northerners up to surprise third in Serie A on Monday. Meanwhile in Sicily, Serbia international Filip Djordjevic netted a fine hat-trick in a 4-0 win at US Citta di Palermo that allowed previously lifeless SS Lazio to momentarily forget their early-season blues.
Juventus and AS Roma — both in UEFA Champions League action against Atletico Madrid and Manchester City respectively this week — have set the early-season pace, going unbeaten over five games so far.
Yet Udinese, now under the guidance of former Inter coach Andrea Stramaccioni, are only three points behind in third place after a fourth win which came largely thanks to 36-year-old Di Natale’s third and fourth goals of the campaign.
Photo: EPA
Di Natale — capped 42 times from 2002 to 2012, when he retired from international soccer following Italy’s defeat in the Euro final to Spain — is now tied at the top of the league scoring charts with Pablo Osvaldo (Inter), Carlos Tevez (Juventus) and Parma striker Antonio Cassano.
Parma dropped one place to second from bottom, although it had all started positively for Roberto Donadoni’s visitors.
The Crociati got off the mark after 22 minutes when 18-year-old Jose Mauri, making only his second start, latched on to Cassano’s through-ball to beat Orestis Karnezis in the bottom left corner.
Yet Di Natale, who came a hair’s breadth to retiring from all soccer at the end of last season, leveled minutes later and fully dismissed recent fitness concerns when he gave the hosts the lead on the stroke of halftime.
Cassano had missed several chances prior to the break but the former Italy striker made amends with a cheeky “Panenka” penalty which beat Karnezis from the spot in first-half injury-time after Silvan Widmer had fouled Mauri.
The game finally turned in Udinese’s favor when French defender Thomas Heurtaux, with his back to goal in a crowded area, met a cross from the right with a spectacular scissor-kick which left Antonio Mirante rooted to the spot.
Parma suffered another blow on 76 minutes when Afriyie Acquah saw red for a late challenge on Luis Muriel, the Ghanaian’s second bookable offence.
Udinese made the man advantage count in the closing minutes as French striker Cyril Thereau cut inside from the left flank to beat Mirante with a low curling shot.
Lazio coach Stefano Pioli had been criticized following two recent defeats to Genoa and Udinese, but his side made amends with a commanding performance in the Stadio Renzo Barbera which secured their second win and a jump up the table to ninth place.
Striker Djordjevic, signed from Ligue 1 side Nantes in the off-season, broke the deadlock on the stroke of halftime when he swept Antonio Candreva’s cross past Stefano Sorrentino.
The Serbian beat Sorrentino twice in the final quarter-hour with fine individual efforts, before Marco Parolo rubbed salt into the Rosanero’s wounds by beating the Palermo goalkeeper from a tight angle after a bungled free-kick in injury-time.
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