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Udinese's Italian internationals came to the rescue as they fought back from a goal down to defeat Chievo.
Alberto Malesani and Luigi Del Neri took on their former clubs, although both had not been on those benches for many years. Chievo had to do without six first team players, including the suspended Luciano, Lorenzo D'Anna and Salvatore Lanna. Cesare Natali sat out a ban for the home side.
Zapotocny combined with Vincenzo Iaquinta, but the Italian was just closed down in the area by defenders.
But it was Chievo who took the lead in a curious move. A long Fabio Moro ball forward took Cristian Zapata by surprise and Sergio Pellissier kept his cool to lob the on-rushing Morgan De Sanctis.
Pellissier almost repeated the trick soon after, but this time Zapata got back to clear the ball off his foot. Chievo also should've been 2-0 up when Franco Semioli and three teammates went on the counter-attack from a cleared corner, but Vincenzo Italiano ballooned the finish over the bar.
Udinese were a shambles and the crowd at the Stadio Friuli made its frustration heard. Liverpool scouts were in the ground to view Sulley Ali Muntari, but he was repeatedly giving the ball away and feeling the brunt of the fans' anger.
The home side finally got forward on 25 minutes with Chris Obodo nodding Dossena's cross straight at Lorenzo Squizzi. Chievo lost Marcolini to injury, bringing on ex-Premiership man Kamil Kosowski.
Antonio Di Natale exchanged passes with Obodo, but was clearly offside when he took on the goalkeeper.
Udinese went very close to an equaliser with Di Natale's free kick from the left getting a glancing touch off Zapata for Squizzi's splendid point-blank save. From the resulting corner Giampiero Pinzi floated in a cross for Vincenzo Iaquinta's close-range header at the back post.
Straight after the restart there were more errors. Marco Motta's backpass was weak and as Kosowski came flying inbetween him and the goalkeeper, nobody seemed to get a good touch on to it. Chievo had penalty appeals waved away.
Di Natale sprung the offside trap, but was halted by a flag for teammate Iaquinta, even though he was not interfering with play.
Erjon Bogdani disappointed upfront, so Del Neri threw on pacey striker Victor Obinna. However, Udinese were growing in confidence and Dossena went clear down the left, his cross volleyed over by Di Natale from nine yards.
As Chievo rushed down the other end, De Sanctis had his palms stung by Semioli.
There was a spectacular attempt from Di Natale on 70 minutes. Squizzi fumbled a deep Dossena cross to the back post and the former Empoli man moved quickly for a lob that landed on the roof of the empty net from an almost impossible angle.
Obinna's first-time shot was deflected out, but Di Natale eventually found the back of the net with help from a substitute who had been on the field for 120 seconds.
On 74 minutes a Paulo Barreto cross from the left found Di Natale for a volley into the ground that bounced just past Squizzi's outstretched hand in at the near post. It was his 10th goal of the season.
Barreto had a strike deflected off target, but Muntari hit an absolute missile that nearly smashed the crossbar in two.
Iaquinta was left red-faced with a fresh-air volley as the ball fell invitingly towards his foot just seven yards out.
Zapotocny was stretchered off with cramp to make way for fellow Czech Sivok and Siqueira threatened a third with his angled drive from 20 metres skimming the upright.
Udinese ended the match in 10 men, as Andrea Coda picked up a second yellow card for his shoulder-charge on Obinna.
Sivok's perfectly-timed tackle stopped Obinna short inside the area, while Italiano had to block Siqueira's fast-paced counter running 70 metres up the field. Moro was sent off for a foul off the ball on Dossena during that move.
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