Udinese 0 - 1 Fiorentina

Udinese 0-1 Fiorentina

Updated: November 8, 2009, 4:46 PM UK

A hard-fought victory at mid-table Udinese kept Fiorentina in the thick of the battle to become runaway Serie A leaders Inter Milan's closest challengers.

Fiorentina had to wait until six minutes from time for the winner - a Juan Vargas free-kick - against their determined hosts.

It was the visitors who had the first chance of what turned out to be a well-contested match when Marco Marchionni crossed for Mario Santana - to head the ball over.

Alberto Gilardino latched on to the rebound, but his shot was blocked by Udinese goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.

Throughout, Fiorentina had the lion's share of the chances. But they had to work hard for them.

In the seventh minute, Gaetano D'Agostino's foul on Riccardo Montolivo gave Fiorentina a free-kick in a promising position - but Vargas' left-foot shot ended in a routine save in the far corner for Handanovic.

Udinese showed they were in the match in the 26th minute, midfielder Francesco Lodi firing in a powerful left-footed shot from outside the area - and Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastian Frey had to be alert to dive across and push the ball out for a corner.

A minute later, Riccardo Montolivo tried his luck with a trademark right-footer from distance for Fiorentina. But he had not found his range, and the effort flew wide.

Udinese thought they had a case with the referee when Lorenzo De Silvestri appeared to handle a cross from Dusan Basta, under pressure from the lurking Antonio Di Natale. But their appeals fell on deaf ears.

Just after the half-hour, Frey needed to be alert again when Simone Pepe beat Per Kroldrup, after being played in by Gokhan Inler.

Yet only five minutes later, Udinese needed to reorganise when Pepe came off injured and was replaced by Bernardo Corradi.

Fiorentina were in the same boat before half-time, Mario Alberta Santana also picking up a knock - to be replaced by Gianluca Comotto.

Four minutes from half-time, Fiorentina could scarcely have come closer to opening the scoring.

Massimo Gobbi crossed from the left, and De Silvestri headed the ball on towards Alberto Gilardino - who poked the ball wide from close range.

Soon after the break, Gilardino's hopeful run into space ended only with an offside flag - and Montolivo was left in no doubt what the striker thought about the timing of his pass.

Just after the hour, Marchionni passed to Vargas - whose shot from outside the area had Handanovic scrambling down low to block.

But 15 minutes from time, Udinese almost took the lead when Di Natale's cross from the left picked out Francesco Lodi for a right-foot volley which whistled just over the bar.

Yet it was to be Fiorentina after all who broke the deadlock.

Vargas' free-kick from the left beat Handanovic. Although home defender Giovanni Pasquale appeared to just get his head on the ball the shot was on target and the goal credited to Vargas.

A minute from time, the visitors almost doubled their lead when Marchionni passed to Gobbi on the edge of the area. The resulting first-time shot flashed just wide.

Then in injury time, Frey had to be at his best to stop a Di Natale deflection on a Pasquale cross.