Udinese 1-0 Napoli Player Ratings: Ekkelenkamp Rated 8.5/10 Stunner Seals Narrow 1-0 Victory

Udinese scraped a narrow 1-0 victory over the table toppers Napoli side in a Serie A match that had absolutely everything. The game at the Dacia Arena will be remembered for VAR interventions, woodwork shots and one moment of sheer brilliance that decided it all.

The defining moment came in the 73rd minute. Jurgen Ekkelenkamp unleashed a spectacular strike from outside the box that left the goalkeeper with no chance. But that only tells half the story. Udinese had the ball in the net twice before that only for VAR to cruelly rule them out. First, a Keinan Davis effort was chalked off, and then a strike from Nicolo Zaniolo met the same fate. We couldn't believe their luck.

The drama wasn't confined to disallowed goals. Jakub Piotrowski also struck the crossbar for the hosts, while Napoli’s late substitute Lorenzo Lucca hit the post in the dying moments of the match. Ultimately, Udinese's resilience paid off, and they held on for a massive three points, leaving Napoli to wonder what might have been.

Here are Udinese Vs Napoli Player Ratings

Udinese Player Ratings vs Napoli

Here are Udinese Player Ratings vs Napoli

Goalkeeper

Maduka Okoye - 6.5: Didn't have a huge number of saves to make, but he was reliable when called upon. What stood out to us was his command of the area, claiming high balls and punching clear once. His distribution was a bit shaky, with only 50% pass accuracy, but he did his job and secured a clean sheet.

Defenders

Christian Kabasele - 8.0: An absolute colossus at the back. We noticed he won 100% of his 12 duels, which is just incredible. He made eight clearances and was dominant in the air, winning eight aerial battles. A commanding, man-of-the-match-worthy performance that was fundamental to the win.

Oumar Solet - 6.0: A more nervy performance compared to his partners. He had one particularly worrying moment, making an error that led to a Napoli shot. While his passing was generally okay, he lost possession a few too many times and didn't seem as composed under pressure.

Thomas Kristensen - 7.0: The definition of a solid, no-nonsense defender. He racked up eight clearances and made some crucial blocks and interceptions. He wasn't flashy, but his positioning was sound and he didn't put a foot wrong. A quietly effective game.

Midfielders

Jesper Karlström - 6.5: The captain put in a real shift in the middle of the park. He battled hard, won half his duels, and drew three fouls to relieve pressure. He kept the ball moving with an 86% pass accuracy but didn't offer a huge amount going forward. A disciplined, if unspectacular, outing.

Jakub Piotrowski - 7.5: He was absolutely everywhere. It felt like he covered every blade of grass, making five recoveries and constantly driving his team forward. He was desperately unlucky not to score, seeing his powerful effort cannon back off the woodwork. His energy was infectious.

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp - 8.5: The highest-rated player on the pitch and for good reason. His winning goal was a thing of beauty a perfectly executed strike from distance. Beyond the goal, he was the creative spark for Udinese, creating an astonishing five chances and two big chances. A true match-winner.

Alessandro Zanoli - 6.5: A very industrious performance on the flank. He worked tirelessly up and down the pitch, contributing seven ball recoveries and making a couple of interceptions. His final product could have been better, but his defensive contribution was invaluable.

Nicolò Bertola - 7.0: A really promising display from the midfielder before he was substituted. He was a threat, getting a shot on target and making six clearances. From our perspective, he showed great energy and wasn't afraid to get stuck in, winning most of his duels.

Forwards

Keinan Davis - 6.5: A day of immense frustration for the big striker. He thought he'd scored the opener, only for VAR to deny him. He was a physical presence but struggled massively in his duels, winning only two of thirteen. We felt he needed to do more to hold the ball up for his team.

Nicolò Zaniolo - 6.0: So much effort for so little reward. He had a goal disallowed, got booked, and missed a big chance. He took four shots but seemed to make the wrong decision too often. It was a chaotic performance that summed up his afternoon.

Substitutes

Oier Zarraga - N/A: Came on late to help see out the game.
Kingsley Ehizibue - N/A: Brought on for the final few minutes.
Adam Buksa - N/A: A late replacement for Davis.
Iker Bravo - N/A: Introduced in stoppage time.
Saba Goglichidze - N/A: A very late sub to waste time.

Manager

K. Runjaic - 7.5: He set his team up perfectly. They were defensively solid and always looked a threat on the counter-attack. Despite the VAR setbacks, he kept his players motivated and they fought for every ball. His game management to secure the 1-0 win was spot on.

Napoli Player Ratings vs Udinese

Here are Napoli Player Ratings vs Udinese

Goalkeeper

Vanja Milinković-Savić - 7.0: He was one of Napoli's best players, which says a lot about the match. He made four saves, including two from inside the box, to keep his team in it for so long. There was nothing he could do about Ekkelenkamp’s brilliant goal. A strong performance in a losing effort.

Defenders

Alessandro Buongiorno - 5.0: A really tough day at the office for him. He looked off the pace and struggled against Udinese's attackers, winning just one of his five duels. It came as no surprise to us when he was the first defender to be substituted.

Amir Rrahmani - 6.5: He was the busier of the backline, constantly called into action. He won an impressive nine duels and made four clearances. However, he was part of a defensive unit that looked vulnerable throughout and ultimately couldn't keep a clean sheet.

Sam Beukema - 6.0: He had his hands full and made three important blocked shots. But he was dribbled past and looked uncomfortable before being taken off around the hour mark. Not his most assured performance.

Midfielders

Giovanni Di Lorenzo - 6.5: The captain led by example with his work rate, making eight ball recoveries. He was solid defensively, winning both of his tackles. Offensively, however, his impact was limited, and he missed a headed chance in the first half.

Scott McTominay - 6.0: A tidy but ultimately ineffective performance. His pass accuracy was high at 92%, but he played it too safe, rarely attempting to break the lines. He did his defensive work but offered little penetration from midfield.

Eljif Elmas - 6.0: He was neat in possession but drifted through the game without making a significant impact. For a player in his position, one duel won and zero key passes is a poor return. He was rightly substituted as Napoli chased an equalizer.

Leonardo Spinazzola - 6.0: Showed flashes of his quality down the left flank but was inconsistent. He lost possession 12 times and was caught offside. He created one chance but it wasn't enough to unlock the Udinese defence before he was withdrawn.

Forwards

David Neres - 5.5: A very anonymous and frustrating performance. He committed four fouls and gave the ball away too easily. From our perspective, he looked completely off the pace and failed to create anything of note for his team.

Noa Lang - 5.5: He had a great chance early in the game but skied it over the bar. After that, he was largely anonymous. He was substituted after just 61 minutes having made very little impact on the proceedings.

Rasmus Højlund - 4.5: A truly dreadful performance from the striker. He was completely ineffective, losing 12 of his 16 duels and losing possession 14 times. He missed a huge chance to equalize late on, which summed up his night. A performance to forget.

Substitutes

Stanislav Lobotka - 6.0: Came on but couldn't change the tempo of the midfield.
Matteo Politano - 6.0: Offered some energy but couldn't find a breakthrough.
Mathías Olivera - 6.0: Slotted in at the back without much issue.
Lorenzo Lucca - 6.5: Almost salvaged a point, desperately unlucky to hit the post late on.
Miguel Gutiérrez - N/A: Came on for the final 10 minutes.

Manager

A. Conte - 5.5: His team selection and tactics didn't work. Napoli looked disjointed in attack and vulnerable at the back. His substitutions came late and while Lucca almost saved him, the overall performance was flat and lacked a clear plan to break down a resolute Udinese side.

Sportsdunia's player of the match is Ekkelenkamp