# Tactical Autopsy of Udinese’s 3-2 Thriller Over Venezia: Inside Kosta Runjaić’s Blueprint

**By Tomás Ferreira**  \nPublished August 8, 2026  \nUpdated August 8, 2026

> A deep tactical dive into Udinese's chaotic 3-2 Serie A win over Venezia at the Bluenergy Stadium, breaking down Kosta Runjaić's 4-4-2 adjustments and Eusebio Di Francesco's 3-5-2 setup.

When Maurizio Mariani blew his final whistle to cap off a frenetic 3-2 scoreline at the Bluenergy Stadium, Udinese had survived a late-stage defensive storm that nearly surrendered a commanding two-goal cushion. Kosta Runjaić’s side deployed a disciplined 4-4-2 double-6 structure that initially overwhelmed Eusebio Di Francesco’s flat 3-5-2 tactical blueprint, only to invite chaos in the game's final 30 minutes through conservative game management and rapid personnel shifts.

The fixture’s chronological narrative hinged on territorial dominance and clinical execution in transition. Udinese broke the deadlock in the 47th minute when Lorenzo Lucca latched onto a precise cross from Hassane Kamara, converting a right-footed shot for his ninth goal of the campaign. Venezia struggled to find a foothold against the rigid banks of Runjaić’s midfield, with goalkeeper Filip Stanković forced off early due to injury in the 18th minute, replaced by Jesse Joronen.

## The Midfield Chasm and Second-Half Escalation

For all of Venezia’s possession-sharing ambitions, it was Udinese’s direct verticality that doubled the advantage shortly after the interval. In the 52nd minute, Sandi Lovrić—who earned a match-high 7.8 rating from Sofascore—unleashed a devastating right-footed strike without an assist to make it 2-0. At this juncture, the tactical mismatch appeared absolute, with Arthur Atta and Oumar Solet suffocating Venezia's central build-up.

Di Francesco responded with a triple tactical intervention in the 62nd minute, introducing Christian Gytkjær, Kike Pérez, and Mikael Egill Ellertsson in a sweeping attempt to reshape his attacking corridors. The substitutions immediately fractured Udinese’s defensive block:

- **64th Minute:** Hans Nicolussi Caviglia clawed one back for the visitors via a direct free kick, exploiting a gap in the defensive wall.

- **78th Minute:** Christian Gytkjær leveled the match at 2-2 with a sharp left-footed shot, assisted cleanly by Fali Candé’s header from a wide area.

- **84th Minute:** Just as momentum swung decisively toward the lagoon club, Oumar Solet unlocked Venezia’s high defensive line with a clever vertical pass, allowing substitute Iker Bravo to finish clinically with his right foot to restore a 3-2 lead.

## Disciplinary Volatility and Stoic Resistance

As desperation mounted into stoppage time, the match deteriorated into a flurry of cautions and emotional outbursts. Referee Maurizio Mariani brandished yellow cards for dissent and rough challenges, culminating in late cautions for Lorenzo Lucca and Bjarki Steinn Bjarkason for violent conduct in the 92nd minute. Venezia bombarded the Udinese box with set-piece crosses, registering successive headed attempts from Mikael Ellertsson and John Yeboah that sailed just high, but Runjaić’s backline held firm to secure the three points.

  **Match Fact:** The historical ledger between these clubs in Serie A now stands at 5 wins for Udinese, 4 for Venezia, and 3 draws, underlining the historically tight margins that routinely define this fixture.

## Sources

- [Sofascore](https://www.sofascore.com/football/match/udinese-venezia/NdbsVdb) — original
- [transfermarkt.us](https://www.transfermarkt.us/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/4893452) — original
- [transfermarkt.co.uk](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/udinese-calcio_venezia-fc/index/spielbericht/4374151) — original
- [espn.com](https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/401874815/udinese-venezia) — original
- [besoccer.com](https://www.besoccer.com/match/venezia/udinese/202249345/livescore) — original