Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye faced another challenging outing in Serie A as Udinese suffered a 2–0 loss to AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.
The 26-year-old, who has now featured in five consecutive matches since returning from suspension, was once again undone from the penalty spot — continuing a frustrating run in which he has failed to stop any of the three spot-kicks faced this season, including two against Juventus in October.
Roma took the lead just before halftime when VAR detected a handball by a Udinese defender. Captain Lorenzo Pellegrini made no mistake from 12 yards, slotting the ball low to Okoye’s right as the Nigerian dived the opposite way. Turkish full-back Zeki Çelik sealed the win for Roma in the second half with a low drive that slipped past Okoye’s attempted block with his feet.
Despite conceding twice, Okoye remained optimistic after the game. The former Watford man praised his teammates’ resilience and expressed belief that his long-awaited penalty save will come soon.
“I’m very proud of the team. We played a good match at the Olimpico, and it’s not easy against Roma — they’re a very strong side,” Okoye told Udinese’s official website. “We didn’t get any points, but our performance was good. Penalties are always 50-50; I haven’t saved one this season, but the time will come. It’s a shame it wasn’t today — now we move forward.”
Okoye also commended teammate Nicolò Zaniolo, who was facing his former club.
“It was a special match for Zaniolo, but before kickoff he was calm as always. He’s a great player, and we’re happy to have him with us,” he added.
With this result, Roma climbed to the top of the Serie A table, while Udinese’s late efforts — including a shot that hit the post — were not enough to change the outcome.
Okoye is now expected to join up with the Super Eagles camp ahead of Nigeria’s World Cup playoff clash against Gabon in Rabat, Morocco. His return adds depth to the national team’s goalkeeping options, with Stanley Nwabali currently the preferred choice.
Despite conceding eight goals in his last five appearances, Okoye remains Nigeria’s highest-valued goalkeeper internationally and continues to earn trust from the national selectors.
