The first pre-season friendly for Udinese ahead of the 2026/27 campaign ended in a hard-fought draw at the Bruseschi sports center. The Bianconeri faced Istra 1961, a top-tier Croatian club scheduled to begin their domestic league in less than two weeks. According to match reports, the Italian side displayed significant character by orchestrating a late comeback, providing manager Kosta Runjaic with valuable tactical insights for the remainder of their summer preparation.
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Subscribe Sekarang →The match started unfavorably for the hosts, as Istra 1961 capitalized on their very first opportunity when Kablar opened the scoring with a well-placed header from a corner kick. The visitors doubled their advantage in the second half courtesy of a strike from Jaganjac. From editorial monitoring, the momentum shifted dramatically with just five minutes remaining on the clock when Udinese scored two goals in rapid succession, courtesy of a spectacular bicycle kick from Piotrowski and a powerful finish under the crossbar by Vinciati after utilizing a knockdown from Gueye.
Based on the post-match schedule, the draw marks the beginning of a busy summer schedule for Kosta Runjaic's squad, who are set to depart for their training camp in Lienz on July 22. In parallel off-pitch developments, the club finalized the signing of Vojvoda, with the official announcement being released on the afternoon of the match. The squad looks to integrate new signings rapidly as the intensity of their pre-season friendly fixtures increases.
According to the club's itinerary, Udinese will continue their preparations against Swansea on July 24, followed by a fixture against Al-Ahli Dubai on July 28. The editorial team observes that the pre-season will culminate in the highly anticipated Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup, featuring elite matches against Hansi Flick's Barcellona and Nottingham Forrest. These tests serve as crucial preparation ahead of their Serie A season opener against Como on August 22.