Roma suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Udinese on Monday night at the Bluenergy Stadium, in a match played as part of the 23rd round of the Italian Serie A.
The decisive moment came early in the second half when Jürgen Ekkelenkamp scored in the 49th minute, securing three valuable points for the hosts against one of their direct competitors in the league standings.
The loss saw Roma drop to fifth place with 43 points, now sitting 12 points behind league leaders Inter Milan.
Udinese, meanwhile, climbed to ninth position with 32 points, continuing their steady rise this season.
Roma entered the match hoping to build on their recent positive run but were unable to recover after a demanding schedule that included a 1-1 draw against Panathinaikos in the UEFA Europa League.
The defeat ended Roma’s six-match unbeaten streak across all competitions.
Udinese, on the other hand, carried momentum into the encounter following a 3-1 victory over Hellas Verona in the previous round.
The result marked another strong display for the Friuli-based side, who have now suffered just one defeat in their last four Serie A matches.
With the season entering a crucial phase, Roma will look to bounce back quickly, while Udinese continue to strengthen their position in the middle of the table.
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