While they failed to take full advantage of Inter’s draw last weekend, Napoli knew that they could at least temporarily inflate their advantage at the top of Serie A to six points with a victory here.
Despite having lost on each of their last 10 league visits to Naples, Udinese looked very lively from kick-off, especially their captain Florian Thauvin, who stung the palms of Alex Meret with a powerful drive.
Napoli briefly surged forward in response, with Scott McTominay and Matteo Politano both registering shots on target, but the visitors were fluid in their own attack, and their top scorer Lorenzo Lucca was next to steer an effort wide.
The pendulum swung back the way of Napoli, who were being driven forward down the wings through Pasquale Mazzochi and Giovanni Di Lorenzo. Politano pulled his shot across the face of goal, but the hosts eventually broke the deadlock eight minutes from half time.
A corner delivery from Politano invited McTominay to leap high above Thomas Kristensen, where he thumped in a header from close range.
However, they were sensationally denied a lead at the break, when just three minutes later, Jurgen Ekkelenkamp arrowed a dipping strike into the far corner from out on the right flank – a stunning first Serie A goal for the Dutchman.
It had been a breathless first half, and Napoli took their time to reach the same level of intensity in the second. Oumar Solet was dominant at the back for the visitors, often winning it back and catalysing dangerous counters, including when Sandi Lovrić hit the target from distance.
As the final 20 minutes closed in, Napoli seized full control of possession and territory, but there was little they could do to break down the combination of Solet and Jaka Bijol at the centre of the Udinese defence.
The hosts ultimately lost their impetus and couldn’t push on to a late winner on a night when they were arguably second best.
Udinese have paid 10 league visits to Naples since they last took away as much as a point, but tonight’s was well earned as they frustrated the 2022/23 Scudetto winners.
Napoli missed out on the three points by the same scoreline last Sunday, and their lead at the top could therefore be cut to a margin as small as one point depending on Inter’s result on Monday.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Oumar Solet (Udinese)