Udinese defender Cristian Zapata was delighted to get back to winning ways in midweek and is now targeting a second-successive victory when they face Serie A leaders Inter Milan on Sunday.
Pasquale Marino celebrated his return to the bench by steering the Bianconeri to only their second triumph of 2010 on Wednesday as they came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory over Cagliari.
Udinese parted company with coach Gianni De Biasi and placed Marino back in charge last week, just two months after he left the post, and he had an immediate effect.
The Bianconeri crept up to 15th with that result, while they extended their advantage over the drop zone to four points.
As impressive as the result was the manner of their performance and Zapata has urged his team-mates to repeat that against Inter on Sunday.
"We played very well on Wednesday," he told the official club website.
"Jeda's goal after two minutes could have taken our feet from under us, but instead we reacted spectacularly.
"It wasn't easy to take back the match in our hands because we were anxious to recover.
"But in the second half we crushed Cagliari in their half of the pitch and we showed all our desire to win.
"It will definitely be a difficult game against Inter but we will try to impose our game even against the league leaders."
Udinese will be hoping tiredness plays some part in hindering the opposition.
Inter battled to a 2-1 victory in the Champions League in midweek and that was preceded by a gruelling goalless draw against Sampdoria where the Nerazzurri were forced to play 52 minutes with just nine men following the dismissals of both Walter Samuel and Ivan Cordoba.
The centre-half pairing will be suspended tomorrow while Inter also have several other absentees.
However, Zapata knows they have more than enough strength in depth.
He added: "They have at their disposal a squad with such quality that for them it will not be a problem.
"If Samuel is out, Materazzi is ready and if (Esteban) Cambiasso is out (Thiago) Motta and (McDonald) Mariga are ready.
"They will come here even more charged after the Champions League success against Chelsea."
Zapata has earmarked Inter's top goalscorer Diego Milito as the danger man, but is well aware Udinese have their own star attacker.
Antonio Di Natale scored again last week to take his tally to 18 for the season - four more than Milito, his closest challenger to the Capocannoniere title.
"Their strikers are all players who are capable of scoring in any moment," continued the full-back.
"I fear Milito more than any, he is an extraordinary footballer with a great awareness of goal.
"But Di Natale is doing really great and we want to give him a hand so he can score many more goals.
"He's our reference point."
Udinese have been hit by the news that Antonio Floro Flores has not recovered and he joins Gaetano D'Agostino, Christian Obodo and Dusan Basta on the sidelines.
As well as Samuel and Cordoba, Cambiasso and Sulley Muntari are both suspended for Inter, while coach Jose Mourinho will be forced to watch from the stands after the club lost their appeal against his three-match touchline ban.
Inter imposed a media blackout following the news on Friday morning.
The Nerazzurri will also be without injured defensive duo Cristian Chivu and Davide Santon but will be confident of getting a result against Udinese, who haven't beaten them in nearly six years.
UDINESE READY FOR INTER TEST
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