VENICE, ITALY – NOVEMBER 06: Jesper Karlstorm of Udinese Calcio during the Serie A match between Venesia FC and Udinese Calcio at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo on November 06, 2026 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)
Quique Perez scored a superb long-range winner as Venezia beat Udinese 2-1 at Penzo, spoiling Paolo Zanetti’s first game as Udinese manager against his former club and sending the Friuliani to the bottom of Serie A.
Zanetti was appointed after Kosta Runjaic was sacked earlier this week. Udinese have taken one point from their previous eight league games and their only win of the season has dropped them to six points above Davide Nicola’s Venezia, who came against Napoli last month.
Venezia started on the front foot and Antoine Hainaut forced an early save from Maduka Okoye inside the box. Nicolò Zaniolo then squandered a good chance when he found space in the box and fired wide.
The hosts continued to push. Juan Jesus headed in a corner and Pasquale Mazzocchi curled a long-range shot inches wide. On the other hand, Filip Stankovic kept Jürgen Eckelenkamp out. Hainaut had the best chance of the half when he collected the rebound and fired, and the score remained 0-0 at halftime.
“Udinese” pays the price by taking away 3 points from Venice
Udinese should have taken the lead early in the second half. Keinan Davis went one-on-one with Stanković inside the six-yard box, but the Venezia keeper made a fine save to deny him.
It proved costly as Venezia took the lead in the 54th minute. Hainaut crossed from the right and Toma Bašić finished in the bottom corner.
The advantage lasted only three minutes. Matías Moreno headed the ball into his own goal and scored the equalizer after a lengthy VAR review, checking Zaniolo’s position in the lineup.
Perez restored the home side’s lead in the 65th minute, meeting Mazzocchi’s cross and leaving Okoye with a left-footed shot from outside the box into the top corner.
Soon after, Mazzocchi was injured and Udinese looked for a way back. Substitute Giorgi Chakvetadze’s long-range shot was well saved by Stankovic. Venezia almost made the game safe from a corner when Moreno headed wide and Simon Sohm saved a shot, and Akor Adams’ goal was ruled out for offside with nine minutes remaining.
The win lifts Venezia from the bottom, one point behind Monza. Zanetti’s Udinese are bottom and both sides are back after the international break: Venezia visit Juventus on 22 November, 12:30 CET [11:30 GMT]Udinese travel to Bologna at 15:00 CET [14:00 GMT].
Venice 2:1 Udinese
Basic 54, Perez 65 (W), Moreno 57 and (U)
