Keinan Davis struck in the dying moments to rescue a 1-1 draw for Udinese against Lazio on December 27, denying the visitors all three points in a pulsating Serie A encounter.
The match appeared destined for a Lazio victory after Matías Vecino broke the deadlock in the 80th minute, capping a dominant midfield display that earned him a 7.7 match rating. The Uruguayan’s goal rewarded Lazio’s patient build-up play, with the visitors controlling 53.7% possession and maintaining an impressive 90% pass completion rate.
But Udinese refused to surrender. Throughout the match, Nicolò Zaniolo had been pulling strings in attack, delivering five key passes despite picking up a yellow card inside the opening quarter-hour. His creative spark kept Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel busy, forcing three saves from 15 Udinese attempts.
The match grew increasingly heated as nine yellow cards were brandished, including cautions for Danilo Cataldi and Matteo Cancellieri in the first half. The physical nature intensified after the break, with tactical adjustments from both benches failing to settle the contest.
Then came the 90th-minute drama. Zaniolo’s persistence paid dividends as his assist found Davis, who made no mistake to level the scores and send the home faithful into delirium. The striker’s clinical finish from one of Udinese’s four shots on target completed a memorable comeback.
Lazio’s defensive organization, marshalled by Mario Gila Fuentes with four interceptions and supported by Adam Marušić’s solid performance, had appeared impenetrable. Their 11 interceptions compared to Udinese’s solitary one highlighted their defensive discipline.
Yet Davis’s late heroics, combined with Jakub Piotrowski’s midfield industry (7.2 rating), ensured the points were shared. Vecino’s own yellow card moments before full-time summed up Lazio’s frustration at surrendering a late lead in this thrilling stalemate.
