Udinese 1 : 1 Chievo - Di Natale scores 200th goal

Posted Monday, November 24, 2014 by PA

Udinese captain Antonio Di Natale scored his 200th Serie A goal but the Friuli outfit had to settle for a point at home to Chievo after playing out a 1-1 draw on Sunday.

Searching for their first win in four games, the hosts went ahead when Di Natale scored on the stroke of half-time.

Ivan Radovanovic equalised for Chievo in the 74th minute with a stinging drive from 25 yards that defeated Udinese goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis.

Udinese have climbed to seventh place while Chievo remain 18th, just one point adrift of safety.

The visitors went into the encounter in Udine having ended an eight-game winless run with a 2-1 win over Cesena before the international break.

Chievo enjoyed a good start and almost went ahead in the 11th minute but Alberto Paloschi nodded Sergio Pellissier's cross just over the bar.

Five minutes later, Chievo goalkeeper Albano Bizzarri was called on to make a save to clear Di Natale's curled effort.

The home side thought they had taken the lead when Danilo headed Di Natale's cross into the back of the net only for his goal to be rightly disallowed for offside.

Chievo twice had the chance to go in front in the 39th minute.

Danilo made a goal-line clearance from Pellissier's 12-yard shot and seconds later, Karnezis flew to his right to superbly push away Valter Birsa's powerful strike from the edge of the box.

Udinese went in front before half-time when Di Natale controlled a loose ball in the box and coolly struck the ball past a helpless Bizzarri.

Birsa was first to test Karnezis in the second half with his stinging drive from 30 yards kept out by the Udinese keeper.

Karnezis could do nothing to prevent Chievo from equalising shortly after, when Radovanovic found space and hit a bullet strike into the bottom left-corner of goal.

With nine minutes remaining, Udinese came close but Di Natale's close-range effort went over the bar with only Bizzarri left to beat.