Napoli vs. Udinese

The southerners have won just once all season and they were prevented from getting their second three-point haul by an Udinese side who, after scoring seven and conceding seven in their previous three games, will welcome the clean sheet which keeps them in the right half of the Serie A table.

Donadoni's side had the better chances to score but as is symptomatic of their start to the season, the ball just would not land in the back of the net.

Marek Hamsik ballooned an Ezequiel Lavezzi cross over the bar from six yards, as Cristian Zapata managed to get a deflection at the last moment. Hamsik and Zuniga both drilled wide from the edge of the box, as the Partenopei held the initiative without really making a dent in the Udinese back line.

Udinese were biding their time to struke on the counter. When Walter Gargano lost the ball in midfield, they surged forward and Simone Pepe stung Morgan De Sanctis' palms with a screamer. Luca Cigarini fired off target after good work from Gargano, but they went into the break goalless.

After the restart Rinaudo limped off with a knee problem to make way for Paolo Cannavaro. Napoli couldn't believe it when they failed to score on 62 minutes. A dreadful Lukovic clearance was intercepted by Gargano and Quagliarella dribbled round the goalkeeper, but was unbalanced and blasted over from close range.

Napoli missed another chance to score in the 81st minute. Lavezzi got down the byline and stung Handanovic's palms, but the ball fell straight to Hamsik who ballooned over from seven yards.

Napoli laid siege to the Udinese goal in the closing minutes, but could not find a route to goal and they left the field to a chorus of whistles.