The early Sunday Serie A kick-off was an enticing mid-table clash with Bologna attempting to leapfrog Udinese whom they trailed by a single point if they could claim victory for the first time in four games.
A usually reliable Udinese defence, which had only conceded once in their last three games, was blown open inside three minutes courtesy of a 30-yard Stefan Posch wonder strike into the top corner to claim an impressive fourth league goal of 2023 - the most scored by a defender in any of the big-five European Leagues.
The hosts were unbeaten in their last six meetings against Udinese and that looked set to continue when Barrow claimed his second assist of the game to set up Nikola Moro who slotted the ball into the bottom corner to claim his first goal of the season, making it 2-0 inside 12 minutes.
Udinese had come from behind to win in the league four times this season and once again they showed no signs of giving up in the first half, putting a string of chances together, the best falling to Marvin Zeegelaar who put his effort narrowly over the bar, leaving the score 2-0 at the break.
The visitors were once again punished for a slow start to the half when sloppy defending allowed Barrow all the time in the world to pick his spot and score a very deserved goal, his first in 15 games.
With the points tied up with over forty minutes remaining, the hosts turned their attention to keeping a third successive home clean sheet for the first time since 2012 by limiting a dejected Udinese to very few chances to confirm the 3-0 scoreline.
The victory takes Bologna up eighth in Serie A, seven points off sixth place Roma, while Udinese slip down to 10th.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Musa Barrow (Bologna)
