Serie A | Genoa 0-2 Udinese – Ekkelenkamp heads Bianconeri into the top half

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Sam Wilson | Last updated Mar 20, 2026 5:43 PM ET

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp’s second-half header proved decisive as Udinese claimed a hard-fought victory at Genoa, moving above Sassuolo into tenth place in Serie A, before an injury-time goal from Keinan Davis sealed the three points.

It was a match of few clear-cut chances and considerable frustration for the home side, who will feel they did enough to earn at least a point.

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Lorenzo Colombo struck the crossbar in the first half, Ruslan Malinovskyi did the same from a free kick shortly after, and a penalty appeared to have been awarded in the second half only for VAR to intervene and rule it out, a decision that proved costly.

The first goal of the game arrived on 66 minutes when Nicolo Zaniolo, making his presence felt on his return to the Luigi Ferraris (where he spent two years as a youth player), floated a clever lofted pass into the box for Ekkelenkamp, who met it with a composed header into the middle of the goal.

GENOA, ITALY – MARCH 20: Jurgen Ekkelenkamp of Udinese Calcio celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammate Nicolo Zaniolo and Jesper Karlstroem during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and Udinese Calcio at Luigi Ferraris Stadium on March 20, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)

Genoa 0-2 Udinese – Huge win for visitors sees them rise to 10th

Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye was otherwise rarely troubled throughout, making comfortable saves when called upon as Genoa’s attacking efforts lacked the precision to genuinely threaten.

Udinese put the game to bed deep into stoppage time, when Keinan Davis found the back of the net on the counter.

The three points move Kosta Runjaic’s side onto 40 points, one behind ninth-placed Lazio and eight adrift of seventh-placed Atalanta.

European qualification remains a distant prospect given the clubs between them, but it has not yet been ruled out mathematically, and this victory will do nothing to dampen growing optimism around a Udinese side quietly building momentum in the second half of the season.

For Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa, the defeat is a more pressing concern. They remain in 14th and with several relegation rivals yet to play this weekend, the gap above the bottom three could shrink before Sunday is out.

20-03-2026 19:45 MatchDay 30 Stadio Luigi Ferraris

Genoa

Udinese Live 0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

24'

Hassane Kamara

2nd half

		56'		Nicolò Zaniolo
		64'

Keinan Davis 66'

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp (Assist: Nicolò Zaniolo) Genoa Udinese

Starting lineups

Justin Bijlow Goalkeeper 27 Alessandro Marcandalli Defender 15 Brooke Norton-Cuffy Defender 22

Johan Vásquez Defender 5

Leo Östigard Defender 32 Morten Frendrup Midfielder 17

Ruslan Malinovskyi Midfielder 10

Junior Messias Attacker 61' 29 Lorenzo Colombo Attacker 77

Mikael Egill Ellertsson Attacker 9 Vitinha Attacker 40 Maduka Okoye Goalkeeper 27

Christian Kabasele Defender 11

Hassane Kamara Defender 19

Kingsley Ehizibue Defender 28

Oumar Solet Defender 31

Thomas Kristensen Defender 14

Arthur Atta Midfielder

46' 8

Jesper Karlström Midfielder 32

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp Midfielder 10

Nicolò Zaniolo Midfielder 9

Keinan Davis Attacker

Substitutes

Stefano Sabelli Defender 18

Caleb Ekuban Attacker 39 Daniele Sommariva Goalkeeper 1 Nicola Leali Goalkeeper 14 Jean Onana Midfielder 73 Patrizio Masini Midfielder 3

Aarón Martín Defender 21 Jeff Ekhator Attacker 13 Nils Zätterström Defender 34 Sebastian Otoa Defender 4 Amorim Midfielder 8 Tommaso Baldanzi Midfielder 61' 93

Daniele Padelli Goalkeeper 13 Nicolò Bertola Defender 90 Răzvan Sava Goalkeeper 6 Oier Zarraga Midfielder 15

Vakoun Bayo Attacker 38 Lennon Miller Midfielder 7 Idrissa Gueye Attacker 20 Juan Arizala Defender 22

Branimir Mlacic Defender 24

Jakub Piotrowski Midfielder

46'

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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