Okoye proud of Udinese despite Roma defeat

Nigerian international goalkeeper Maduka Okoye believes Serie A side Udinese delivered a strong performance, despite falling to a disappointing 2-0 defeat against AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.

The matchday 11 loss, secured by goals from Lorenzo Pellegrini and Mehmet Zeki Çelik, handed the Zebrette their fourth defeat of the season. Okoye, who featured between the sticks for Udinese, expressed pride in his team’s effort, even without the points.

Maduka Okoye Focusing On The Performance

Speaking to the club’s official website, the 26-year-old shot-stopper highlighted the difficulty of playing against a top side like Roma:

“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.”

Reflecting on the penalty converted by Pellegrini for Roma’s opener, Okoye remained philosophical, eager to register his first penalty save of the campaign:

“I’d say the penalty was 50:50. I want to save one this year. I haven’t done so yet, but the time will come. It’s a shame it didn’t happen today, but now we need to look ahead.”

Switching Focus to Super Eagles

The goalie’s attention now shifts immediately to the international stage. He is set to join the Nigeria Super Eagles squad for their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier playoff semi-final. Nigeria will face Gabon on Thursday at the Complexe Sportif Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan in Morocco.