Udinese held Como to a 1-1 draw with both teams wasting golden opportunities to take all three points, as Tasos Douvikas cancelled out the Hassane Kamara chip.
After being the surprise outfit of last season, the Lariani had invested heavily over the summer to prepare for Champions League football. Trevoh Chalobah, Yan Couto and Luis Milla were all thrown straight into the starting XI for their debuts, while Nico Paz was also given the all-clear despite barely featuring in pre-season due to his World Cup participation with Argentina. The hosts had Christian Kabasele suspended, with Keinan Davis, Alessandro Zanoli and Giorgi Chakvetadze injured.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Jesus Rodriguez was in need of treatment after James Abankwah accidentally trod on his hand, while Mergim Vojvoda saw an angled drive flash inches wide against his old club.
Udinese broke the deadlock when Hassane Kamara ran onto the Jurgen Ekkelenkamp assist and drew Jean Butez out, intelligently chipping the finish into an empty net.
Jesus Rodriguez was sent clear by a long Butez pass, only to get his first touch wrong, while Maduka Okoye fingertipped the Tasos Douvikas header over from a corner.
Como finally got their equaliser when Maduka Okoye made a great save on Chalobah’s header from a Luis Milla corner, but could do nothing on the Douvikas follow-up from five yards.
Okoye kept the scoreline down with a fine save to deny Douvikas from eight yards, getting down very quickly, then Kamara made a decisive sliding tackle on Jesus Rodriguez inside the area.
Idrissa Gueye’s header was just off target from a Vojvoda cross, but then the striker was carried off injured.
Nicolò Zaniolo had penalty appeals rejected after a coming together with Milla that might’ve been outside the area anyway, while Mattia Liberali’s strike flashed just wide at the other end.
Jean Butez had his gloves stung by Lennon Miller at the near post, but Udinese wasted a truly golden opportunity to win it at the 88th minute.
Zaniolo pulled back from the by-line, Kamara let it through with a dummy, only for Vakoun Bayo to horribly balloon his finish over the bar from seven yards. Zaniolo limped off soon after with a suspected thigh strain, another worrying sight for the Friulani.
Como almost won it deep into stoppages, as Jacobo Ramon’s header thumped the crossbar from a corner.
Udinese 1-1 Como
Kamara 29 (U), Douvikas 54 (C)
Player statistic
| Jakub Piotrowski | 28' | |||
| Hassane Kamara (Assist: Jurgen Ekkelenkamp) |
29' | |||
| James Abankwah | 41' |
| 54' |  |
Anastasios Douvikas | ||
| Unai Gómez |  |
90+3' |
