Maduka Okoye shines as Udinese win first game of the season

Udinese secured their first victory of the new Serie A season with a 2-1 win over Lazio, with Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye delivering an impressive performance between the sticks.

Maduka Okoye, who recently extended his contract with the Italian side, made his second start of the season for Udinese. Meanwhile, fellow Nigerian international Dele-Bashiru was in Lazio’s starting lineup, also making his second appearance of the new campaign.

The match kicked off with Udinese taking an early lead, much to the surprise of the visitors. Florian Thauvin delivered a precise cross into the box, which Lorenzo Lucca headed in from close range to put the home side 1-0 up. Despite Lazio’s attempts to mount a comeback, they were unable to break through Udinese’s defense, with Okoye playing a crucial role in keeping them at bay until the halftime whistle.

In the second half, Udinese continued to assert their dominance. Thauvin, who had already provided an assist, doubled Udinese’s lead with a brilliant solo effort. The French forward weaved his way through Lazio’s defense and unleashed a powerful shot from inside the box, beating Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel and finding the bottom left corner.

Udinese’s momentum was briefly halted when Hassane Kamara received a second yellow card, reducing the home side to 10 men. Lazio capitalized on their numerical advantage late in the game, with Gustav Isaksen scoring in injury time after pouncing on a rebound and slotting the ball into the right post.

However, it was too little too late for Lazio, as Udinese held on to secure a 2-1 victory. The win marked their first of the season, with Okoye’s performance earning him praise as he played a key role in the triumph.

Udinese will be looking to build on this positive result as they continue their Serie A campaign, while Lazio will be seeking to bounce back in their next fixture.