Genoa stunned Udinese 2-1 at the Friuli thanks to Ruslan Malinovskyi’s penalty and Brooke Norton-Cuffy’s late strike. The victory lifts Genoa to 15th and extends their post-Vieira unbeaten run — punters may consider Genoa in the away double-chance market or backing Norton-Cuffy for impact/sub scorer bets, while Udinese’s defensive lapses keep Over 2.5 goals a tempting option in upcoming fixtures.
Genoa snatch late win to heap pressure on Udinese
Udine, 08 December 2025 — Genoa produced a composed away performance to beat Udinese 2-1 at the Friuli, overturning a tense contest with a first-half penalty from Ruslan Malinovskyi and a decisive Brooke Norton-Cuffy finish late on. The result moves Genoa up to 15th and stretches their unbeaten run since the Patrick Vieira sacking.
Match summary and key incidents
Within nine minutes Udinese thought they had taken the lead when Keinan Davis turned in a rebound from an overhead attempt, only for the flag to rule it out for offside. Udinese then lost Jordan Zemura to a muscular problem.
Genoa broke the deadlock when Lorenzo Colombo was brought down by goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, allowing Malinovskyi to convert from the spot on 34 minutes. The second half opened with both keepers called into action — Rui Modesto’s long-range drive was tipped over, and Vitinha’s curling effort was kept out by Alessandro Leali.
Udinese levelled through Jakub Piotrowski on 65 minutes after a quick counter created space for Rui Modesto to deliver the perfect cutback. The match looked set for a draw until a slick Genoa move saw Caleb Ekuban feed Junior Messias, whose pass found an unmarked Norton-Cuffy to slide in the winner on 83 minutes.
Tactical takeaways
Genoa were effective on the counter, showing greater cohesion than earlier in the season. Their wide play, particularly from Ekuban, stretched Udinese’s backline and created the opening that led to Norton-Cuffy’s match-winner. Udinese dominated possession at times but were exposed by turnovers and slow transitions, which Genoa punished.
Team news and absentee impact
Both sides fielded rotated squads after midweek Coppa Italia exits. Udinese were without Arthur Atta and Hassane Kamara, and coach Kosta Runjaic served a touchline ban. Genoa missed several regulars through injury — Leo Ostigard, Morten Frendrup, Benjamin Siegrist, Maxwel Cornet and Albert Gronbaek — although Brooke Norton-Cuffy returned from suspension and players such as Junior Messias, Hugo Cuenca and Jean Onana were available on the bench.
What the result means
The three points give Genoa momentum and a clear psychological boost, consolidating an unbeaten streak since the managerial change. For Udinese, defensive vulnerabilities and untimely injuries raise questions ahead of a busy fixture list.
Scoreline, scorers and key substitutions
Udinese 1–2 Genoa 34' Ruslan Malinovskyi (pen) — Genoa 65' Jakub Piotrowski — Udinese 83' Brooke Norton-Cuffy (assist: Caleb Ekuban) — Genoa
Notable substitutions influenced the late stages: Genoa introduced attacking options that ultimately unlocked Udinese’s defence, while Udinese’s changes failed to restore fluidity in the final quarter.
Lineup overview
Udinese (starting XI highlights): Maduka Okoye; Jordan Zemura (left early injured); Nicolò Bertola; Jakub Piotrowski; Patrizio Masini. Genoa (starting XI highlights): Alessandro Zanoli; Brooke Norton-Cuffy; Johan Vásquez; Ruslan Malinovskyi; Lorenzo Colombo.
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Genoa snatched a surprise victory away to Udinese thanks to a Ruslan Malinovskyi penalty and...
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