Udinese secure 3-2 victory at Monza after first-half surge from Kamara and Ekkelenkamp
Udinese claimed their first Serie A victory of the season with a 3-2 away win over Monza, taking four points from two matches while consigning Ivan Juric's side to a second straight loss.
Strong start and opening exchanges
Monza started on the front foot at the Stadio Brianteo, generating early pressure in their second Serie A fixture of the season. In the eighth minute, Foe Ondoa tested Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye with a long-range effort that required a punched save. Four minutes later, Andrea Colpani saw his shot deflected away for a corner kick following sustained home possession. Patrick Cutrone came close in the 27th minute after receiving a pass from Kouadio, only for Udinese defender James Abankwah to block the strike. Monza continued to push forward with aerial opportunities from Samuele Birindelli and Andrea Carboni, but Okoye kept the scoreline level during the initial half-hour.
First-half goals and Udinese surge
Udinese took the lead in the 32nd minute when Hassane Kamara gathered possession after a defensive giveaway by Mout and set up Jakub Piotrowski, who slotted a low shot into the bottom corner. Monza responded five minutes later as Ricardo Mangas picked out Colpani in space inside the penalty area, allowing the midfielder to finish past Okoye for the equaliser. The closing minutes of the first half turned heavily in favour of the visitors. In the 45th minute, Kamara fired a speculative strike from outside the penalty area that slipped through the hands of Monza goalkeeper Demba Thiam. Three minutes into stoppage time, Jurgen Ekkelenkamp collected a loose clearance from Birindelli following Unai Gomez's corner and drove a powerful shot into the top corner, sending Udinese into the break with a 3-1 advantage.
- Jakub Piotrowski scores for Udinese assisted by Hassane Kamara
- Andrea Colpani equalises for Monza assisted by Ricardo Mangas
- Hassane Kamara scores from distance to restore Udinese's lead
- Jurgen Ekkelenkamp scores Udinese's third goal from the edge of the area
- Gustavo Varela headers in Monza's second goal from Ebenezer Akinsanmiro's cross
Monza rally falls short in second half
Udinese sought to extend their lead shortly after the restart, but Unai Gomez and Keinan Davis failed to convert opportunities to add a fourth goal. Monza manager Ivan Juric responded by introducing substitutes Michael Folorunsho and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro to inject fresh energy into midfield. The tactical adjustment yielded a goal in the 63rd minute when Akinsanmiro delivered an aerial cross that Gustavo Varela headed into the net. The Portuguese forward achieved a scoring mark in the process, registering goals in each of his first two Serie A appearances for Monza and tallying four goals across three competitive matches.
Final whistle and league standings
Despite trailing by one goal, Monza pressed forward during the closing stages, bringing on Omari Forson and Dany Mota to bolster the attack. Udinese held their defensive structure under pressure and prevented the hosts from creating clear chances in the final minutes. The 3-2 victory marks the first league win of the season for Kosta Runjaic's side, lifting Udinese to four points in the Serie A table following their opening match against Como. For Monza, the result is their second straight defeat under Juric following an opening-round loss to Inter at San Siro.
