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UDINE, ITALY – MAY 17: Jamie Vardy #10 of Cremonese scores his team’s first goal past Maduka Okoye of Udinese during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and US Cremonese at Stadio Friuli on May 17, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)
Jamie Vardy has given Cremonese a huge victory away to Udinese that keeps their safety hopes going to the final 90 minutes of the season.
Marco Giampaolo’s side gave themselves a chance with victory over Pisa, taking them to within a point of Lecce and safety going into the penultimate round. Federico Ceccherini, Warren Bondo, Faris Moumbagna and Federico Baschirotto missed out, while Udinese were without Nicolò Zaniolo, Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, Alessandro Zanoli and suspended Kingsley Ehizibue.
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See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Cremonese made the most of some terrible Udinese playing out from the back, as Oumar Solet and Kingsley Ehizibue were too soft in their passing, intercepted by Federico Bonazzoli to test Maduka Okoye, but the goalkeeper could do nothing on the Jamie Vardy follow-up.
Nobody managed to get on the end of Youssef Maleh’s roll across from the left, then he went for goal himself, forcing a tricky one-handed save from Okoye.
Udinese were awarded a very soft penalty for Sebastiano Luperto bundling into the back of Christian Kabasele, but VAR overturned the decision for an earlier Thomas Kristensen offside position.
Luperto went for goal and tested Okoye, while the Keinan Davis header on Hassane Kamara’s cross was straight at Emil Audero.
Bonazzoli risked a red card after the restart when he caught Kristensen with studs up on his shin, but was saved because he tried to bend his knee and pull out at the last minute.
When Audero made a remarkable reaction save on the Kristensen back-heel flick, it wouldn’t have counted anyway for an offside position.
As the game wore on, Cremonese increasingly locked themselves down to protect the 1-0 lead. Udinese thought Kamara had been sent off for bringing down Vardy inside his own half on 65 minutes, but the referee changed it to a yellow following the VAR review, as they were both going for the bouncing ball.
Udinese had the ball in the net on 86 minutes with Adam Buksa, but it was only after Idrissa Gueye had clattered into Audero, forcing the goalkeeper to drop the ball.
The first real save Audero had to make was in stoppages, flying to palm away the Oumar Solet curler that was going into the far top corner.
Cremonese celebrated at the final whistle, but then heard Lecce had restored their lead to win 3-2 away to Sassuolo in stoppages, leaving it all open to the end.
Udinese 0-1 Cremonese
Vardy 9 (C)
17-05-2026 19:45
MatchDay 37
Friuli Stadium (Dacia Arena)UdineseCremonese0 – 1
Player statistic
| 9' | Jamie Vardy |
| 51' | Federico Bonazzoli |
| 55' | Tommaso Barbieri |
| Hassane Kamara | 67' |
| 90+1' | Alberto Grassi |
Match statistic
63
Possession %
37
10
Total shots
7
2
Shots on target
4
6
Shots off target
2
2
Blocked shots
1
5
Corners
5
4
Offsides
5
10
Fouls
9
Udinese
Cremonese
Starting lineups
40
Maduka Okoye
Goalkeeper
27
Christian Kabasele
Defender
46′
11
Hassane Kamara
Defender
79′
20
Juan Arizala
Defender
60′
28
Oumar Solet
Defender
31
Thomas Kristensen
Defender
14
Arthur Atta
Midfielder
8
Jesper Karlström
Midfielder
38
Lennon Miller
Midfielder
71′
18
Adam Buksa
Attacker
9
Keinan Davis
Attacker
71′
1
Emil Audero
Goalkeeper
3
Giuseppe Pezzella
Defender
15
Matteo Bianchetti
Defender
5
Sebastiano Luperto
Defender
4
Tommaso Barbieri
Defender
60′
33
Alberto Grassi
Midfielder
24
Filippo Terracciano
Midfielder
2
Morten Thorsby
Midfielder
82′
29
Youssef Maleh
Midfielder
82′
90
Federico Bonazzoli
Attacker
60′
10
Jamie Vardy
Attacker
88′
Substitutes
93
Daniele Padelli
Goalkeeper
24
Jakub Piotrowski
Midfielder
90
Răzvan Sava
Goalkeeper
1
Alessandro Nunziante
Goalkeeper
6
Oier Zarraga
Midfielder
22
Branimir Mlacic
Defender
13
Nicolò Bertola
Defender
46′
33
Jordan Zemura
Defender
60′
15
Vakoun Bayo
Attacker
71′
7
Idrissa Gueye
Attacker
71′
29
Abdoulaye Camara
Midfielder
79′
69
Lapo Nava
Goalkeeper
16
Marco Silvestri
Goalkeeper
7
Alessio Zerbin
Attacker
32
Martín Payero
Midfielder
55
Francesco Folino
Defender
30
Mika Faye
Defender
96
Marco Cassin
Goalkeeper
77
David Okereke
Attacker
60′
22
Romano Floriani Mussolini
Defender
60′
18
Michele Collocolo
Midfielder
82′
27
Jari Vandeputte
Midfielder
82′
9
Milan Djuric
Attacker
88′
