Fiorentina are on course to move up to second in the Serie A table after taking a 1-0 half-time lead over Udinese in their meeting this afternoon.

The Viola came close to opening the scoring in the third minute when Nikola Kalinic was picked out at the front post, but he could not squeeze his attempt beyond Orestis Karnezis.

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Marcos Alonso was next to threaten for the hosts as he latched onto Borja Valero's threaded pass and fired a low strike towards the near post that was turned behind by the keeper.

Fiorentina finally made their pressure count in the 26th minute when Milan Badelj's low strike took a deflection off Kalinic and wrong-footed Karnezis as the ball crept into the back of the net.

Four minutes later Silvan Widmer almost conjured up an equaliser for the visitors, but after meeting Francesco Lodi's free kick he could only head against the post.

The visitors showed more signs of danger when Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu headed Edenilson's teasing cross a few yards over the bar.

Despite the increasing threat from the visitors, Fiorentina almost doubled their lead before half time as Kalinic raced into the six-yard box to meet Alonso's low delivery, but he was only able to turn the ball over from close range.