Dessers injured, Okereke fires blank in Cremonese home draw to Success’ Udinese

By Wale Mustapha

It could be termed a mixed fortune for three of Nigerian players in Serie A on Sunday as Cremonese were forced to a goaless draw by Udinese.

The match played at the Stadio Giovanni Zini featured three of Nigerian players with both Cyril Dessers and David Okereke on the card of Cremonese playing host to Isaac Success’ Udinese.

While Udinese were looking to bounce back to reckoning after tasting first defeat in nine games to Torino last week, Cremonese were still in search of their first Serie A win of the season.

Gerard Deulofeu went close to getting Udinese off to an ideal start, but he was unable to get his effort past Cremonese keeper, Marco Carnesecchi.

Cyril Dessers created some worries for the visitors in the opening stages with his physical presence but his stay was short lived as he was hobbled off midway through the first half due to injury.

That somehow, reduced Cremonese’ potency in attack as they lacked the needed push and experience to create chances.

The visitors continued to enjoy the majority of possession, but clear-cut chances were proving hard to come by as Cremonese worked hard to keep their opponents at bay.

Dessers’ team mate, David Okereke mustered his side’s only shot on target of the half as he sent a glancing header into the waiting hands of Udinese keeper.

Inspired by the vociferous home support, the hosts resumed the second half on the front as Cristian Buonaiuto forced Silvestri into action.

Okereke’s low cross midway in the second half met nobody in the box to connect before the young forward was replaced by Daniel Ciofani.

The Udinese goalkeeper reacted well to tip Buonaiuto’s ambitious long-range effort around the post.

Isaac Success made a brilliant combined moves with Deulofeu for Udinese but the latter couldn’t not stretched enough to finish off Success’ pass.

Lazar Samardžić came close to being Udinese’s hero, but his low shot was comfortably stopped by Carnesecchi, ensuring that on this occasion, there was to be no late goal for Andrea Sottil’s side who have scored their last 12 goals in the final 15 minutes of the game.

Despite collecting their second home point of the season, Cremonese end the weekend three points adrift from safety, while Udinese remain in eighth place after drawing three of their last four SA games. The hosts will also have more worries with Dessers’ injury and hope its not serious as earlier thought.