Veteran striker Antonio Di Natale salvaged a 1-1 draw for Udinese in their Serie A fixture against Palermo.

After a drab start, midfielder Josip Ilicic smashed a left footed shot into the top right corner from outside the box following a quick counter-attack.

Both teams had chances but there looked only to be one winner on the hour when Udinese centre-back Thomas Heurtaux picked up a second booking for a dangerous foul on Santiago Garcia, which left the Uruguayan requuiring lengthy treatment.

However, Palermo failed to add to their goal advantage and paid the ultimate price when Di Natale found space in the box to shoot into the bottom corner with one minute to play.

Those two dropped could prove crucial as this result leaves the Sicilians hovering above the relegation zone.