Udinese move out of Italian League drop zone with victory over Lecce
ROME: Udinese moved out of the Serie A drop zone ater a hard-fought 2-0 result at Lecce on Monday gave it a first win in two months.
Udinese rose one point clear of the relegation zone with two games remaining. Lorenzo Lucca got the opener with a towering header of a cross from Martin Payero in the 36th minute. Lazar Samardzic added the second with a typical poacher’s goal five minutes from time.
Fabio Cannavaro’s men are still in a dogfight. Udinese is one of six teams fighting to avoid joining the already relegated Salernitana in the second division next season.
Only five points separate Sassuolo at second to lastandveronafiveplacesaboveit.udinesewas15th.
Lecce was safe in 13th. Meanwhile, a late goal from Arthur Melo gave Fiorentina a 2-1 win over Monza.
With12minutesremaining,thebrazilianmidfielder fired home a lovely goal from 20 meters ater a neat turn and sprint from just inside the Monza half. Fiorentina was in eighth place, Monza was 12th.
Earlier, Atalanta took a big step towards Champions League football on Sunday by beating Serie A top-five rivals Roma 2-1, a win which also guaranteed spots for Bologna and Juventus in Europe’s elite club event. A brilliant brace from Charles De Ketelaere in the first 20 minutes gave Atalanta, still on a high from reaching the Europa League final, a fully deserved win in Bergamo.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side sit in Italy’s fith and final Champions League spot, three points ahead of Roma with a game in hand against Fiorentina which they will play the weekend ater the scheduled end of the season.
Atalanta, who also face Juventus in the Italian Cup final on Wednesday, looked set to sweep Roma aside in the same manner in which they dealt with Marseille on Thursday to reach their first ever European final.