Nigeria goalkeeper Maduka Okoye faced another challenging night in Serie A as Udinese went down 2-0 to AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday. Despite conceding from the penalty spot and later from Zeki Celik’s strike, Okoye remained composed and praised his teammates’ effort.
“I’m very proud of the team. We played a good match at the Olimpico, and it’s not easy against Roma, who are very strong. I’m happy. We didn’t get any points, but the performance was good,” Okoye told Udinese’s official website.
The 26-year-old Super Eagles shot-stopper has struggled with penalties this season, failing to stop any of the three he has faced, including two against Juventus last month. However, Okoye remains optimistic: “It’s always 50-50 on penalties. I want to save one this year; I haven’t done so yet, but the time will come. It’s a shame it wasn’t today; now we have to look ahead.”
Udinese captain Nicolò Zaniolo, on loan from Galatasaray, also received praise from Okoye for his composure against his former club.
Despite conceding eight goals in five games this season with only one clean sheet, Okoye continues to be a pivotal figure for Nigeria. He is set to join the Super Eagles squad in Rabat, Morocco, for the World Cup playoff against Gabon. His inclusion promises competition for Nigeria’s No. 1 jersey, currently held by Chippa United’s Stanley Nwabali.
