Serie A | Udinese 0-1 Parma: Elphege can secure top flight status

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Susy Campanale | Last updated Apr 18, 2026 10:57 AM ET

Nesta Elphege’s debut Serie A goal has practically secured Parma’s Serie A status with a surprise victory away to Udinese.

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The Friulani confirmed their giant-killer reputation by beating Milan and holding Como, but lost Keinan Davis to injury along with Jordan Zemura and Alessandro Zanoli. Parma were winless in six, but held Lazio and Napoli to stalemates. Benja Cremaschi and Matija Frigan missed the trip, but Mateo Pellegrino returned from suspension. Lautaro Valenti picked up an injury in the warm-up, replaced by Abdoulaye Ndiaye.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Alessandro Circati nodded a corner inches over the bar in the opening minutes for Parma, as Maduka Okoye was caught wrong-footed.

Nicolò Zaniolo went on the counter from a Parma corner only for Zion Suzuki to smother his pass at the feet of Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, while Hassane Kamara shinned a volley wide from a promising position.

UDINE, ITALY – APRIL 18: Mateo Pellegrino of Parma holds off Christian Kabasele of Udinese during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and Parma Calcio 1913 at Stadio Friuli on April 18, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)

Pellegrino went off at half-time after two accidental knocks to the head, and Ndiaye made a desperate interception to stop Ekkelenkamp tapping in the Arthur Atta roll across.

Substitute Nesta Elphege made an immediate impact by scoring his debut Serie A goal for Parma, gathering the Gabriel Strefezza assist with his back to goal, turning Christian Kabasele to burst into the box and fire past Okoye.

UDINE, ITALY – APRIL 18: Nesta Elphege of Parma celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammate Gabriel Strefezza during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and Parma Calcio 1913 at Stadio Friuli on April 18, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)

Moments later, Strefezza’s deflected shot was fingertipped over the bar, while Atta dribbled past two to test Suzuki at the near post.

Parma should’ve been 2-0 up on the hour mark, but Elphege seemed surprised that Okoye fumbled the Enrico Delprato low cross and only poked the rebound wide.

Udinese incredibly failed to equalise on 76 minutes at the end of a chaotic move. Oumar Solet dribbled into the box and his shot was charged down, so he stood up a cross for Idrissa Gueye’s header off the crossbar, and Zaniolo then nodded the rebound wide from four yards.

UDINE, ITALY – APRIL 18: Arthur Atta of Udinese and Alessandro Circati of Parma in action during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and Parma Calcio 1913 at Stadio Friuli on April 18, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)

Thomas Kristensen was also forced off after a neck injury, while Gueye’s glancing header from a Jesper Karlstrom cross was smothered by Suzuki.

Zaniolo had a huge chance to score deep into stoppages, but the finish was off his weaker foot and allowed Suzuki to scramble across for a fingertip save.

Udinese 0-1 Parma

Elphege 51 (P)

18-04-2026 14:00 MatchDay 33 Friuli Stadium (Dacia Arena)

Udinese

Parma 0 - 1

Player statistic

2nd half

51'

Nesta Elphege (Assist: Gabriel Strefezza) Nicolò Zaniolo 71' Jesper Karlström

85'

Match statistic

57 Possession % 43 16 Total shots 10 3 Shots on target 1 9 Shots off target 5 4 Blocked shots 4 10 Corners 5 2 Offsides 1 11 Fouls 8 Udinese Parma

Starting lineups

40 Maduka Okoye Goalkeeper 27

Christian Kabasele Defender 11

Hassane Kamara Defender 64' 19

Kingsley Ehizibue Defender 73' 28

Oumar Solet Defender 31

Thomas Kristensen Defender 81' 14

Arthur Atta Midfielder 24

Jakub Piotrowski Midfielder 64' 8

Jesper Karlström Midfielder 32

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp Midfielder 73' 10

Nicolò Zaniolo Midfielder 31 Zion Suzuki Goalkeeper 39 Alessandro Circati Defender 14 Emanuele Valeri Defender 15 Enrico Delprato Defender 5 Lautaro Valenti Defender 37 Mariano Troilo Defender 10

Adrián Bernabé Midfielder 66' 41

Hans Nicolussi Caviglia Midfielder 72' 16 Mandela Keita Midfielder 7

Gabriel Strefezza Attacker 66' 9

Mateo Pellegrino Attacker

46'

Substitutes

Daniele Padelli Goalkeeper 90 Răzvan Sava Goalkeeper 15

Vakoun Bayo Attacker 38 Lennon Miller Midfielder 29 Abdoulaye Camara Midfielder 7 Idrissa Gueye Attacker 64' 20 Juan Arizala Defender 64' 18

Adam Buksa Attacker 73' 6 Oier Zarraga Midfielder 73' 22 Branimir Mlacic Defender 81' 29 Franco Carboni Defender 66 Filippo Rinaldi Goalkeeper 22

Oliver Sörensen Midfielder 40 Edoardo Corvi Goalkeeper 11 Pontus Almqvist Attacker 21 Gaetano Oristanio Midfielder 23 Nesta Elphege Attacker 46' 17 Jacob Ondrejka Attacker 66' 24 Christian Ordoñez Midfielder 66' 8

Nahuel Estévez Midfielder 72' 3 Abdoulaye Ndiaye Defender 27

Sascha Britschgi Defender

75'

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

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