UDINESE starting XI (3-5-2): Okoye, Kabasele (subbed for Ebosse), Bijol, Gianetti, Ehizibue (subbed for Modesto), Lovric (subbed for Zarraga), Karlstrom, Payero, Zemura (subbed for Kamara), Davis, Thauvin (subbed for Lucca)

Bench: Padelli, Sava, Pizarro, Abankwah, Ekkelenkamp, Bravo, Brenner, Palma

JUVENTUS starting XI (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio, Savona (subbed for Cabal), Gatti, Kalulu, Cambiaso (subbed for Danilo), Thuram (subbed for McKennie), Locatelli, Weah (subbed for Mbangula), Koopmeiners, Yildiz, Vlahovic (subbed for Conceicao)

Bench: Perin, Pinsoglio, Rouhi, Gil, Fagioli, Adzic

Goals: Okoye 19’ (OG), Savona 37’

The Bianconeri got the three points following an own goal from home goalkeeper Maduka Okoye and Nicolo Savona’s strike, with the ball bouncing off the right post immediately before both goals.

It was only Juve’s second win in six matches in all competitions and lifted them up to third, ahead of the rest of the weekend’s fixtures.

They are four points behind Serie A leaders Napoli, who lost to fourth-placed Atalanta on Sunday.

Only two points separated Udinese and Juventus coming into the match.

Juventus took the lead in the 20th minute with a wonderful piece of play from Khephren Thuram, who burst into the box and nutmegged a defender before taking a shot from a tight angle.

The ball bounced off the inside of the far-right post and in off the back of Okoye.

It would have been a first goal in Italy for Thuram, the younger brother of Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram.

Udinese had a number of chances to level before Juventus doubled their lead in the 37th.

The same post had a part to play again as Kenan Yildiz’s finish was deflected off almost exactly the same spot and Savona fired in the rebound.

Udinese thought they had got back into the match early in the second half, but Keinan Davis’ effort was ruled out immediately as he had pushed Juventus defender Federico Gatti, causing him to crash into goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.

Udinese slipped to eighth after they were leapfrogged by AC Milan, who won 1-0 at Monza.

AAP

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