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Udinese won this battle to get back into the Champions League race and leapfrog Milan into fifth place.
This was set to be a thoroughly entertaining encounter between two of the most attack-minded teams in the top flight. To add spice, it was a head-to-head for European places and the Viola wanted revenge after losing 2-1 on home turf back in November. However, Adrian Mutu and Fabio Liverani were suspended, while Udinese had Cristian Zapata and Gyan Asamoah sidelined.
Fiorentina's last win at the Friuli was 2-1 in October 2001, followed by two draws and a 1-0 defeat a year ago. Fabio Quagliarella put the ball in the back of the net after a minute, but he was offside.
Zdravko Kuzmanovic brought a tough save out of Samir Handanovic from a Martin Jorgensen assist, but it was Udinese who broke the deadlock. Quagliarella tried to turn inside the area, but could only cut back for Gokhan Inler to unleash a left-foot screamer under the bar from outside the area.
Mario Alberto Santana fought back with a solo effort wide of the near post, then on 34 minutes Jorgensen flicked on a cross for Riccardo Montolivo's right-foot strike to crack against the woodwork.
Straight after the restart Sebastien Frey flew to parry a fierce Simone Pepe strike and Antonio Di Natale failed to make the most of the loose ball.
Quagliarella's left-foot strike forced another fine save out of Frey as Udinese tried to put the result beyond doubt.
Handanovic was not to be outdone and also performed heroics at the other end of the field on both Daniel Pablo Osvaldo and Giampaolo Pazzini's follow-up.
The Viola eventually got on level terms with Christian Vieri coming off the bench to net almost immediately. Giampaolo Pazzini held up Tomas Ujfalusi's cross for a Vieri looping header into the far top corner. He had been on the field for just four minutes.
Massimo Gobbi combined with Vieri, bringing a crucial tackle out of Damiano Ferronetti.
Udinese restored their advantage on 72 minutes with a classic counter-attack. Di Natale gathered from Inler on the halfway line and ran the entire length to drill past a helpless Frey at the near post.
Fiorentina were caught out on the counter again soon after, as Dossena's cross from the left found Quagliarella at the back post. Frey parried the header, but could do nothing on the follow-up.
Osvaldo flashed an angled drive across the face of goal, but they could not get back into the game.
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