Kamara chips Udinese in front, Douvikas answers: the Bluenergy opener ends level
Como had 59% of the ball, twenty shots and ten corners. Udinese had the better chances and the higher expected goals. Between them they produced one goal each and a fair 1-1.
Serie A came back on a Saturday evening in Udine, and it took twenty-nine minutes to produce the goal of the night. Jurgen Ekkelenkamp slid Hassane Kamara through, Kamara ran at Jean Butez alone and chipped him. 1-0 Udinese, and the Bluenergy Stadium had its opening.
The scoreline flattered nobody. Como were already the side with the ball — 59% of it by full time — and Cesc Fàbregas' team spent the first half passing around an Udinese block that was happy to sit and counter. Udinese scored on one of those counters.
Como's corner finally paid
Como took ten corners to Udinese's one. The tenth was not the one that mattered — the equaliser came at 54', from a Milla delivery that Chalobah attacked in the air. Maduka Okoye made a very good save from the header and could do nothing about the rebound: Anastasios Douvikas was first to it. 1-1.
Okoye finished with five saves, Butez with two, and that gap explains the evening better than the possession does. Como had twenty shots and six on target. Udinese had sixteen and three.
The chance to win it fell to the home side. Late on, Nicolò Zaniolo squared it for Vakoun Issouf Bayo with the goal open, and Bayo put it over the bar. It is the kind of miss that follows a striker around for a week. 😬
The expected-goals numbers back Udinese up: 1.98 against 1.49, despite the shot count and the possession going the other way. Como controlled the match. Udinese created the better version of it.
Match facts
- 29' — Hassane Kamara (Udinese), assisted by Jurgen Ekkelenkamp
- 54' — Anastasios Douvikas (Como), rebound after Chalobah's header
- Full time: Udinese 1-1 Como, Bluenergy Stadium, Udine
| Stat | Udinese | Como |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 41% | 59% |
| Total shots | 16 | 20 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 6 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 1.98 | 1.49 |
| Passes completed | 401 | 582 |
| Corners | 1 | 10 |
| Saves | 5 | 2 |
What's next
Udinese travel to Monza next weekend, on Saturday 29 August — their first away trip of the season, against a side beaten 4-1 at Inter on matchday 1. Como go to Napoli on Sunday 30 August, which is a rather harder way to look for a first win.
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