Udinese held up by resolute PAOK

Udinese Calcio and PAOK FC will reconvene for the second leg of their UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie with nothing separating the teams following a goalless draw in north-east Italy. Save for a couple of scares early on, notably when Almen Abdi rattled a post, PAOK's 11-game unbeaten run in UEFA competition rarely appeared in jeopardy. Udinese will be hoping their 17-goal top scorer in Serie A, Antonio Di Natale, recovers from the fractured toe he suffered at the weekend to spearhead their bid for a last-16 place in next week's return. Things might have been different had Abdi's thumping sixth-minute shot gone in rather than roll along the goal line after coming back off the upright. Relieved, PAOK had another escape moments later when Dario Kreši? stuck out a hand to divert Antonio Floro Flores' chip away from danger. Without Di Natale, Udinese were chiefly looking to Floro Flores for a breakthrough which, those openings aside, seldom looked like materialising. Not that László Bölöni's side carried much threat themselves, though, with two Giorgos Fotakis efforts from distance the best they could muster. Like he was in the first 45 minutes, Kreši? was called upon early in the second period, this time to hold Danilo's header before beating out Floro Flores's near-post strike. Medhi Benatia and Pablo Armero shot over, while in the closing stages Dušan Basta and Floro Flores could do nothing more than force Kreši? into routine stops.