Serie A: Lazio boost European bid with 1-0 victory over Udinese

Lazio picked up three points towards their chase for European football with a hard-fought 1-0 win away to Udinese.

Antonio Candreva's cheeky first-half penalty proved enough to settle the match, but only after the visitors had withstood significant pressure.

Some good saves from Etrit Berisha and wasteful finishing by Emmanuel Badu were required before Lazio could breathe easy. The win took them fourth in Serie A pending Sampdoria's result at Chievo later in the day.

Antonio Di Natale's free-kick from wide on the left was saved by Lazio goalkeeper Berisha, and Silvan Widmer's header from Di Natale's corner was blocked.

Widmer saw a shot from distance easily saved by Berisha before Lazio's Dusan Basta fired wide from a hopelessly ambitious distance.

Di Natale shot wide from a tight angle for Udinese and it was instead Lazio who took the lead when Miroslav Klose was pushed in the area by Molla Wague, who was booked, and Candreva scored a 'Panenka' chipped penalty.

Ogenyi Onazi had an effort blocked and team-mate Candreva shot wide, while Di Natale again threatened for Udinese when set up by Bruno Fernandes but saw his effort saved by Berisha.

Fernandes fired high and wide while, at the other end, Orestis Karnezis saved from Candreva and Felipe Anderson missed the target as both sides went in search of goals early in the second period.

Emmanuel Badu headed Di Natale's right-wing free-kick wide from six yards and then directed Guilherme's delivery over the bar before his third headed attempt found the target but was saved.

Klose's shot was blocked, as was Keita Balde Diao's free-kick from out wide, as Lazio's search for a second goal came up short.

Udinese had chances to equalise but Berisha saved from Badu and Guilherme before Badu sent another header off target.