Udinese were narrowly defeated in Bologna on Monday night as Federico Bernardeschi's penalty 15 minutes from time proved to be the difference in a tightly contested match.
Big chances were hard to come by in the first half and the first real opportunity wasn't until ten minutes into the second period: Maduka Okoye saved Riccardo Orsolini's initial effort, then Jonathan Rowe's follow-up was cleared off the line by Jordan Zemura.
After a long VAR check the home were side were awarded a penalty in the 75th minute following a foul on the edge of the box and Bernadeschi's conversion was impeccable.
Udinese immediately went looking for an equaliser and Idrissa Gueye drew a save out of Lukasz Skorupski just moments after coming on. Nicolo Zaniolo then hit the side netting and Jakub Piotrowski saw his free kick beaten away.
As the clock wore down, Zaniolo had another effort blocked by a defender, Oier Zarraga's angled strike was saved by Skorupski and in the dying seconds Gueye's fierce shot through a crowded box was deflected up into the air.
The defeat means Udinese remain in 11th place on 32 points.
The team will be in action again next Monday, when Fiorentina visit Bluenergy Stadium.
Bologna 1-0 Udinese (HT 0-0)
Scorer: Bernardeschi 75 (pen).
Bologna (4-3-3): Skorupski; Joao Mario, Vitik, Lucumi, Miranda (Zortea 82); Sohm, Freuler (cap.), Pobega (Moro 55); Orsolini (Bernardeschi 55), Castro (Dallinga 85), Rowe (Cambiaghi 55).
Subs not used: Ravaglia, Pessina, Helland, Casale, Ferguson, Odgaard, De Silvestri.
Coach: Italiano.
Udinese (3-5-2): Okoye; Solet (Bertola 10), Kabasele (Gueye 80), Kristensen; Ehizibue, Piotrowski, Karlstrom (cap.) (Zarraga 80), Atta, Zemura; Zaniolo, Buksa (Ekkelenkamp 71).
Subs not used: Nunziante, Padelli, Bayo, Arizala, Mlacic, Camara, Miller.
Coach: Runjaic.
Referee: Marcenaro.
Assistants: Rossi C., Laghezza.
Fourth official: Massimi.
VAR: Marini.
AVAR: Sozza.
Booked: Buksa 62, Miranda 68.
Added time: 2+6 minutes.