Atalanta Miss Chance to Close Gap on Napoli After Udinese Draw

Read the match report on Atalanta's goalless draw with Udinese, which prevents them from moving level on points with league leaders Napoli.

Atalanta squandered the chance to move level on points with league leaders Napoli, as they were held to a goalless draw by Udinese at the Bluenergy Stadium. This result comes as a setback for Gian Piero Gasperini's side, who were aiming to keep pace with Napoli in the Serie A title race.

Reeling from their Supercoppa Italiana exit to Inter Milan, Atalanta struggled to find their rhythm in the early stages. This allowed Udinese, eager to end their four-match home winless streak, to gain momentum and pose a threat. Jaka Bijol's header forced Marco Carnesecchi into a spectacular point-blank save just past the half-hour mark, highlighting Udinese's growing intent.

As the first half drew to a close, Udinese came agonizingly close to finding the back of the net on three separate occasions. Alexis Sanchez rattled the woodwork twice, and Carnesecchi showcased incredible reflexes to deny Sandi Lovric's rebound header. These near-misses underscored Udinese's determination to secure a positive result.

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini made a crucial substitution on the hour mark, introducing Nicolo Zaniolo and Lazar Samardzic to inject energy into his team's attack. This move was aimed at avoiding Atalanta's first scoreless league outing in over five months. The fresh legs nearly paid off, but Udinese's Kosta Runjaic responded swiftly to neutralize the threat.

Runjaic countered Gasperini's move by deploying Arthur Atta and Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, effectively stifling Atalanta's resurgence. Despite the introduction of new players, neither team could find the decisive breakthrough, and the match ultimately ended in a 0-0 draw. This result marked the sixth draw in the last 15 league meetings between the two sides.

A point apiece at the Bluenergy Stadium 👊#UdineseAtalanta pic.twitter.com/5EI7GPdIf5

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) January 11, 2025

The draw is a setback for Atalanta's Scudetto ambitions, as they now trail Napoli by two points at the top of the table. However, coach Gasperini will be relieved to have secured a point, extending Atalanta's unbeaten Serie A streak to 14 games. Meanwhile, Udinese will lament their inability to capitalize on the draw, with Kosta Runjaic's men now winless since their victory over Fiorentina before Christmas.