05 October 2021
05 October 2021

On this day: First league win of the Pozzo era

Udinese got their first victory under Pozzo on 5 October 1986

Chierico.jpg
On this day in 1986, Udinese beat Fiorentina 1-0 away to secure the first league win of Gianpaolo Pozzo’s tenure as club president.

Pozzo had replaced Lamberto Mazza in the summer, inheriting a team that had been hit with a nine-point penalty due to a match-fixing scandal the previous season.

Odoacre Chierico scored the only goal of the game in Florence after just eight minutes.

It was a deserved win, with Udinese – led by coach Giancarlo De Sisti – showing themselves to be a well-organised side with plenty of individual talent. 

Fiorentina threw everything at Udinese as they went in search of an equaliser, but De Sisti’s men stood firm. Beniamino Abate had a day to remember in goal, while defenders Dino Galparoli, Massimo Storgato, Massimo Susic and Edinho left the Fiorentina forwards feeding on scraps and Ciccio Graziani – a former Fiorentina player – maintained a threat for the visitors down the other end.

Udinese would end the season bottom of the table on 15 points (this was during the period when two points were awarded for a win), but would have stayed up had there been no points deduction.

Below is the team that faced Fiorentina back on 5 October 1986.

Udinese: Abate, Galparoli, Storgato, Angelo Colombo, Edinho, Susic; Chierico, Miano (Galbagini 80), Graziani, Criscimanni, Daniel Bertoni (Dal Fiume 67).
Subs not used: Brini, Tagliaferri, Branca.
Coach: De Sisti.