Within 1 minute of kickoff Antonio Candreva found himself in shooting position on the right side of the box, but went high over the bar to spurn the early chance.
After a period of sparring in midfield, Lazio appeared set to break through as they were awarded a penalty when Willians blatantly handled a cross in the area. Cristian Ledesma stepped up to take the spot-kick, but Zeljko Brkic heroically made a diving stop to his right at full stretch to preserve the deadlock.
At the other end, a handball from Luis Cavanda gave Udinese a free-kick in a dangerous position on the left flank. Antonio Di Natale audaciously went for goal, cracking a brilliant effort agonizingly off the crossbar, whilst Andrea Coda skied his follow-up header over the net with Federico Marchetti out of position.
Lazio came flying back up the pitch, with Alvaro Gonzalez making amends for the missed penalty opportunity on 17 minutes. Stefano Mauri played the Uruguayan into the area with a through ball, and he made no mistake in beating Brkic with a left-footed strike.
Udinese were forced into an early substitution as defender Maurizio Domizzi pulled up lame and made way for Gabriele Angella.
In the 25th minute, a fierce counter attack by the home side saw Antonio Candreva go in on goal after a long run, but Brikic held firm to deny the Italian.
The Aquile doubled their advantage soon after when Mauri flicked on Klose to send the German hitman alone on goal, where he calmly stroked past the keeper.
Francesco Guidolin's men claimed a rare chance with Danilo bouncing in a header from a corner, but the ball bounded barely wide of the far post as Maicosuel arrived just too late to poke home.
Di Natale received another free-kick opportunity moments later, with disastrously Marchetti fumbling the ageless Italian's strike, but the charging Coda once again missed an open goal and the chance went begging.
Mathias Ranegie replaced Willians at half for the visitors, whilst Vladimir Petkovic removed Ederson in favor of Hernanes.
On 54 minutes Klose found himself in space in the area after a clever bit of skill, but hesitated too long to pull the trigger and fired directly into the chest of Angella from 10 yards.
The German striker won a free-kick after being tripped on a rambling run minutes later, setting up a perfect chance for substitute Hernanes. Lazio's Brazilian playmaker struck the ball wonderfully, curling past a rooted Brkic to put the home side up 3-0.
Ranegie sent a header in from a Roberto Pereyra cross, but Giuseppe Biava did enough to put off the giant Swede as the ball arched over the bar.
Lazio began to sit back with a comfortable lead as the Friuli came forward in an effort to glean any sort of consolation, but were continuously stonewalled and unable to get even a shot away until a looping header from Coda was easily gripped late in the day by Marchetti.
A scintillating run from Cavanda in injury time on the counter nearly ended with Petkovic's men grabbing a fourth, but substitute Senad Lulic's volleyed attempt was blocked away.
Man of the Match: Stefano Mauri, Lazio (85% passing; 2 assists; 2 tackles)
Highlights
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