Udinese leapfrog into top half as Kristensen header seals dominant win over Torino

Key facts

• Udinese beat Torino 2-0 in Serie A's 35th round at the BluEnergy Stadium.
• Kingsley Ehizibue scored his second consecutive goal to open the scoring just before half-time.
• Captain Thomas Kristensen headed home from a corner in the 51st minute to double the lead.
• Udinese moved up to 10th place on 47 points, leapfrogging Sassuolo.
• Torino remain 12th with 45 points, having taken 14 points from eight games under Roberto D'Aversa.
• Adam Buksa missed a sitter in the first half, hitting the post from close range.
• Udinese have now failed to score in their last three home fixtures before this match.

Ehizibue strikes before the break to set Udinese on course

Udinese seized control of Saturday's Serie A fixture at the BluEnergy Stadium with a goal deep into first-half stoppage time. Oumar Solet won the ball high up the pitch and fed Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, whose low cross from the right was fumbled by Torino goalkeeper Alberto Paleari. A miskick from left-back Obrador allowed the ball to fall kindly for Kingsley Ehizibue, who poked home from close range for his second goal in as many matches. The goal came after a period of sustained pressure from the hosts, who had earlier squandered a golden opportunity. Midway through the first half, Adam Buksa pounced on a rebound after a one-on-one between Nicolò Zaniolo and Paleari was blocked, but the striker somehow hit the post from point-blank range. Zaniolo scored on the follow-up, but the flag was raised for offside.

Kristensen doubles the lead from a corner early in the second half

Udinese doubled their advantage six minutes into the second half, again through a defender. Captain Thomas Kristensen rose above Paleari's attempted claim to meet a pinpoint corner delivery from Miller and powered a header into the net. It was the centre-back's first goal of the season and effectively sealed the three points. The Bianconeri controlled the game from start to finish, rarely allowing Torino a sight of goal. The visitors, who had stunned Inter Milan with a late comeback the previous week, failed to replicate that spirit. Giovanni Simeone, who had been on a hot streak, was kept quiet by the Udinese defence.

Runjaic's transformation continues as Udinese climb to 10th

The victory lifted Udinese to 10th place on 47 points, leapfrogging Sassuolo and moving within striking distance of a top-half finish. Two years ago, Kosta Runjaic inherited a team that had avoided relegation by the narrowest of margins. They ended last season 12th, but under the German coach they have shown steady progress. Since the start of March, Udinese have drawn with European contenders Atalanta and Como and beaten Genoa and Fiorentina. Saturday's result also ended a worrying trend: Udinese had failed to score in their previous three home fixtures. The clean sheet was their first at home in over a month.

Torino's revival under D'Aversa stalls after promising start

Torino arrived in Udine on the back of a creditable 2-2 draw with league leaders Inter Milan, a match in which they came from behind twice. That result extended their unbeaten run under Roberto D'Aversa, who took over two months ago when the club was sliding down the standings. Since his arrival, the Granata have collected 14 points from eight games, a rate that would rank fifth in Serie A over that period. They also boasted the joint-third best attack in the league during that stretch, with 14 goals scored — only Inter and Como had managed more. But at the BluEnergy Stadium, that attacking verve was absent. Torino managed few clear chances and were second best in nearly every department. The defeat leaves them 12th on 45 points, still well clear of relegation but unable to push for a top-half finish.

Missed chances and a disallowed goal colour a one-sided first half

The match could have taken a different course had Buksa converted his early sitter. The Polish striker, who had the goal at his mercy after Paleari denied Zaniolo, somehow struck the post. Zaniolo's rebound was ruled out for offside, and Udinese were left to rue the miss — until Ehizibue's intervention just before the interval. Torino's best moment came when Nikola Vlasic, their captain, tried to orchestrate a response, but the visitors lacked the incisiveness that had characterised their recent performances. The defeat was their first under D'Aversa in four away matches.

Outlook: Udinese eye rare top-half finish, Torino seek consistency

With four games remaining, Udinese are now firmly in the hunt for a top-half finish — a rare achievement for a club that has spent recent seasons battling near the bottom. Their progress under Runjaic has been marked by defensive solidity and the emergence of young talents like Arthur Atta, who scored twice in the dramatic 3-3 draw at Lazio earlier in the week. For Torino, the task is to rediscover the form that made them one of Serie A's most dangerous sides under D'Aversa. The coach has lifted them clear of danger, but the inconsistency that plagued them before his arrival has not entirely vanished. Saturday's performance suggested that the transformation, while real, is still a work in progress.

The bottom line

• Udinese's 2-0 win over Torino lifts them to 10th place, their highest position under Kosta Runjaic.
• Kingsley Ehizibue and Thomas Kristensen scored for the hosts, both from defensive positions.
• Torino's recent resurgence under Roberto D'Aversa hit a setback as they failed to create meaningful chances.
• Udinese ended a run of three home games without a goal, while keeping their first home clean sheet in weeks.
• The result tightens the mid-table race with four matchdays left in Serie A.