Atalanta had conceded just once in the first 15 minutes of a league game this season, but looked vulnerable to falling behind early here when Kingsley Ehizibue struck just wide from the edge of the box.
La Dea had chances of their own in the opening stages too, as Gianluca Scamacca also saw a shot fly inches past the post from the edge of the area, before Isak Hien glanced a header wide from a corner from much closer range.
However, it was Udinese who broke the deadlock before half-time through their own corner taken by ex-Atalanta loanee Nicolo Zaniolo, who whipped the ball in for Thomas Kristensen to head into the top corner for his first goal since the opening weekend of the season.
Scamacca’s previous three league goals came in home wins, but he had no such luck five minutes into the second half when he turned and struck the post.
Atalanta’s misfortune then worsened as Keinan Davis doubled Udinese’s lead with a lovely curled finish into the bottom corner after a couple of ricochets in the box.
The hosts tried to respond before the hour mark through Kamaldeen Sulemana, but he failed to get clean contact on his header, and it looped past the post.
Atalanta made a triple change to try and inject some new life into the team, and one of them was Nikola Krstovic, who really ought to have done better when he was teed up around the penalty spot but could only shoot wide.
However, another substitute, Nicola Zalewski, made an impact as he put in an inviting cross for Scamacca to powerfully head home and halve the deficit going into the final stages.
The striker was waiting for another chance to restore parity, and when he got his opportunity, he headed in for a brace to salvage a point for La Dea after Maduka Okoye parried Krstovic’s initial effort.
The hosts ultimately missed the chance to break into the European places, though, while Udinese at least avoided what a third consecutive away league defeat despite being pegged back from a good position.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta)
