Udinese forward, Nicolò Zaniolo, has praised Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye for his outstanding performance in the club’s goalless draw against Parma in the Italian Serie A on Wednesday.
Okoye produced a crucial penalty save to help Udinese end their six-match losing streak with a 0-0 draw at the Stadio Ennio Tardini in Italy.
The Nigerian goalkeeper denied Adrián Bernabé in the 69th minute after defender James Abankwah was penalised for handball.
The 27-year-old was subsequently named Man of the Match and recorded his first clean sheet of the 2026/27 Serie A campaign.
Before the encounter, Okoye had conceded 18 goals in nine appearances without keeping a clean sheet.
His intervention proved vital as Udinese struggled to convert their chances despite creating several opportunities.
The result also provided relief for the club, which has been battling to move away from the relegation zone.
Speaking after the match, Zaniolo praised his teammate’s contribution and described him as an exceptional goalkeeper.
“It’s not the first time Maduka has saved us. I love him; he’s a good person and a fantastic goalkeeper,” the Italian international said.
“Today, thanks to him, we broke our losing streak and got a point away from home that moves us up the table.”
Okoye said the penalty save was instinctive, while acknowledging that Udinese had experienced difficult moments in recent weeks.
He also pointed to the absence of key players, including Zaniolo, as part of the challenges facing the team.
Udinese will hope to build on the result when they host in-form Roma in their next fixture as they seek to improve their position in the league.
