Maduka Okoye was in brilliant form as he helped Udinese to a shock 1-0 win away to Serie A title hopeful Juventus on Monday night.
Udinese went into the game on the back of five games without a win (three defeats, two draws).
It is Udinese’s first win away to Juventus since 23, August 2015, with Okoye in goal to help end the long wait.
The 24-year-old Nigeria international was in superb form as he made six saves and had two clearances in his seventh league appearance this season.
Also Read: Di Canio: Inter Milan Stronger Since Onana’s Departure To Man United
Also in action for Udinese alongside Okoye are Isaac Success, who came on in the 77th minute, and Kingsley Ehizibue.
A Lautaro Giannetti’s 25th minute strike was enough to earn Udinese the win which move them up from the relegation zone to 16th in the league table.
The defeat is a dent in Juve’s title hopes as they are on 53 points and seven points behind leaders Inter Milan.
36 Comments
I watched the highlights of the match and was simply in awe of Okoye’s performances. This is a goalkeeper oozing in confidence.
The saves he made particularly in the first half were from a variety of shots hurled at him. He employed compelling catching, punching and parrying techniques.
It’s going to be interesting what happens in World Cup qualifiers. Will we overlook or bench an Italia Serie A goalkeeper for a flash in the pan South African goalkeeper?
I maintain my praise, adulation and respect of how Nwabili stepped in and stepped up to temporarily resolve the overblown and largely imaginary goalkeeping problems we had in the Super Eagles prior to the Afcon tournament.
However, he proved to be susceptible to weak defensive infrastructure and questionable decision making that reportedly plagued his predecessors including the great Enyeama himself.
Nwabili’s indecisiveness and shabby grappling was directly implicated in Ivory Coast’s equaliser as he darted left and right confused before allowing the ball literally slip through his fingers.
That situation doesn’t tarnish his overall performance – no, he did very well overall. But it just proves that Nwabili is not altogether insulated from mishaps neither does his skills hold up to being considered for the best goalkeeper of the tournament despite many clean sheets that were produced from a park-the-bus strategy rather than goalkeeper proficiency.
My prayers are now that fans haven’t scared off Okoye or discouraged Uzoho. We discourage goalkeepers too much in Nigeria. Both of whom must return to take their rightful places. We should also track the progress of Chijioke Anigboso in Europe. He is another potential credible option.
Looking at the goals Nwabili conceded against Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast in the final, it is clear that when the defence cracks, he will leak goals. This is not a criticism, just an observation.
An observation of the need of our coaches to provide ample protection for the Super Eagles goalkeepers. We all saw how Nwabili was made to look better than he actually was in the eyes of emotion-driven fans when the structure of the formation offered ample protection.
Hahahaha….Deo…you will soon become ar “narcissist”, a hater and a saddist put together when these light duty brained touts come for you for daring to say these things about their showboating showboy.
Akpeyi was bad, the lad went on to be CAF CL gk of the season.
Okoye has no business in the SE, yet he has for the 2nd time in his professional career fought his way to becoming 1st choice in his club playing in a top top league.
Interesting times ahead.
@ deo, I’m not only shocked but surprised that you could say Nwabali is a “flash in the pan.” If anybody could say such a thing on this platform, I don’t expect that it would be you saying it. Once again I’m shocked at this your statement!
Few days ago, you had a back and forth with another person on this platform and this person accused you of subtly or indirectly favoring Okoye at the expense of Nwabali, you denied it. But today you confirmed what has been your opinion about Okoye and Nwabali or any other keeper in the super eagles for some time now.
How can you say Nwabali is a flash in the pan goalkeeper. What is your yardstick for determining a better goal keeper between the two of them? Okoye was our main goalkeeper at the last Nations cup. We saw how well he saved Nigeria with his poor positioning and inability to deal with straight shots. How about his inability to deal with pressure coming from Nigerian football fans. What command did he have of his defenders? You want a keeper that can’t manage or command his defenders, catch direct shots, position himself well between the goal post, or deal with pressure from Nigerian fans to be our number one goalkeeper. Again, this is a shocking submission coming from you.
Nwabali played 7 matches for Nigeria at this nations cup and conceded 3 goals in open play. How many of these goals were solely the fault of Nwabali. But you say Okoye is better than Nwabali. Nwabali has proved himself as a super eagles keeper, thus, he remains the number 1 keeper for now. Let Okoye come and prove himself in the colors of super eagles, then we can start a conversation on who is better between him and Nwabali. Club football is never national team football. I rest my case.
@josh, you shouldn’t be bothered about what the deo has said about Nwabali.
He even wanted coach Paseiro to make Uzoho no1 in just concluded Afcon, but as time goes on, Deo sees the superiority of Nwabali but has no choice but to support Nwabali.
Even Oga Rohr has surrendered and wants Nwabali to be no1 while the former Super Eagles said Nwabali is better than Uzoho.
I think someone is using Deo name to make a comment because the real deo can not be talking like this. I believe this is not deo that I used to know for so many decades.
However, Okoye is a fantastic goalkeeper, but he is not there yet, and he’s not ready for the national team yet.
As far as Nigerians are concerned, Nwabali is our no1, not Okoye, or even Uzoho comes close to Nwabali capability. We appreciate Nwabali, and for now, Okoye stands no chance to displaced Nwabali. Ire o. God bless!!!
Josh, first of all I didn’t say that Okoye is better than Nwabili. I only implied that it will be interesting to consider dropping or benching an Italy based goalkeeper for one based in lowly South Africa.
Calling Nwabili flash in the pan only serves to highlight how overblown the defensive formation falsely elevated his impact in this tournament.
I maintain, Nwabili did good, very good when you factor in the penalty saves against South Africa. But is he a Superstar goalkeeper? well the Afcon organisers think the South African goalkeeper is the Superstar.
When we played open football against Equatorial Guinea, Nwabili conceded a goal. When our defence was stretched against Ivory Coast in the final, Nwabili conceded 2 goals, 1 was entirely savable. So, in my estimation, as remarkable as he was, he has areas of vulnerabilities which directly contributed to Nigeria’s inability to lift the trophy.
So, for how Nwabili is a flash in the pan. In matters of principle we should stand like a rock but in matters of performances, yes we should swim with the tides. My tide of opinion might change if Nwabili continues to improve. But for now, his inability to prevent Ivory Coast’s first goal contributed to Nigeria’s Afcon gold failure which makes him currently a flash in the pan.
@ deo, your posts are full of contradictions. You can’t be saying Nwabali is a good goalkeeper but at the same time saying, ” he conceded goals that are savable and is a flash in the pan.” If as you claimed Nwabali was responsible for any goals Nigeria conceded, especially against Ivory Coast, Nigerians would have called for his head. This is a fact! On the contrary, they are saying we have found a goalkeeper. This clearly shows that you are wrong in your submission about Nwabali.
You want Okoye who can’t stand the pressure of playing for Nigeria to be the number one goal keeper. This is still surprising. If Okoye can’t stand the pressure of fans, how can he stand the pressure of playing a high stake match like the finals of the African nations cup where players like Kessie and Fofana are hurling shots at him.
A goalkeeper gave at least an 8/10 performance in the entire nations cup, yet you would rather prefer a goalkeeper who gave less than 5/10 performance for Nigeria in the entire matches he has played. This is unbelievable.
The truth is that Okoye got his chance and fluffed it. He even took Nigeria for a ride by refusing to honor calls to come and play for Nigeria. If he is behaving the way he is doing one, what should goalkeepers like Agbonabaire whom Nigerians constantly called “Agbonibasket” done during their playing days? Let Okoye go and develop a thick skin if he wants to play for Nigeria because club football can never be the same as national team football.
You really have time responding back. You can clearly see that he would never back done, just like his fake buddy, who just want to shove their point down everyone’s throat even after goofing, Have stopped paying attention to them, because they contradict themselves a lot. Aren’t you shocked that Dr Dry is roaring his ugly head out after the tournament, rubbishing Nwabali once again. Bunch of hypocrites
Haba Kenneth,
Why not let’s bounce ideas constructively. I have never quarreled with anyone for supporting any goalkeeper.
For me, fact remains that Uzoho is more experienced than Nwabili and Okoye is playing in a better league than Nwabili.
But Nwabili had a fabulous Afcon aided by a park-the-bus ultra defensive strategy.
One thing I find funny is that most fans who praise Nwabili to highest heavens simultaneously condemn the formation that protected him and the coach that installed him!!!
If that is not contradiction, I wonder what is.
Josh will defend Nwabili but condemn 3-4-3 formation that falsely catapulted him to cult status.
John 1 will praise Nwabili but condemn the coach Peseiro that installed him.
Anyway. I need not say more.
Hehehehe….Deo, you want to bounce ideas with an imbecile…LMAOoo.
Please you’ll gain much more singing “Baby Shark Doo Doo” with kindergartens than gaining anything from that high-school reject that cannot properly spell Yeboah….LMAOoo
I once enjoyed reading your response to matters, but lately it’s like you talking from both sides of your mouth, and the sudden love with that Vagabon DR DRY. Well will give you the benefit of the doubt. But the truth still remains Nwabali is here to stay. What has Uzoho’s experience gotten us?
Josh,
Allow me to attend to your response one by one.
1) Contradiction: when I appraise players, I seek out strong points and areas requiring improvement and then aggregate these 2 variables. I think Nwabili has very many strong areas and also some weak points too – no goalkeeper is perfect. On aggregate, I genuinely think Nwabili is good. Is he exceptional? Is he world class? Is he a rock star? For me, I am unsure.
2) Responsible for goal conceded: no, I don’t think Nwabili is responsible for the first goal Nigeria conceded against Ivory Coast. Rather I think the header was 100% savable which is further emphasised by the fact that the ball went in-between his two hands. That does not mean he is wholly responsible. He did not cause the corner kick, he did not lose the header (Zaidu lost the header), but, Nwabili on his part did not save the header (which was 100% savable), Even match commentator Efan Ekoku faulted Nwabili for his inadequate goalkeeping technique in letting that ball go through his hands.
Nwabili wasn’t responsible for that goal but he was partly culpable for not executing an effective goalkeeping intervention to prevent the goal.
3) I am wrong? No Josh. I am not wrong in my assessment of Nwabili. Assessments are subjective, I own mine, you own yours. I don’t think you are wrong in your assessment of Nwabili. If you have seen in him a goalkeeping messiah, that is your cup of tea. For me, I think he needs competition to at least keep him on his toes, so to speak.
4) I want Okoye? Oh yeah, you got it baby! I would like nothing more than a goalkeeper facing strikers and midfielders from Italian league week in week out to come and compete with a goalkeeper facing strikers of the likes of Percy Tau and other average South African players for Nigeria’s number one position.
It will be interesting for you to argue against greater competition for your Nwabili Messiah. It will be difficult for people to just Discard an active Italia Serie A goalkeeper for a South African goalkeeper.
As of today, Uzoho is still more highly experienced in international football than Nwabili, fact! World Cup winner in Under-17, 2018 World Cup participant, 3 Afcons with 1 silver and 1 bronze and multiple World Cup and Afcon qualifiers participation. High profile friendlies including matches against heavyweights Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, England and Ukraine, to mention a few.
Uzoho is head and shoulders ahead of Nwabili when it comes to international football accomplishments across levels.
Even in club football, Nwabili has never travelled across Europe let alone play Manchester United in Europa league and keep in Spanish La Liga.
Levels dey a beg and Nwabili is at this time a flash in the pan when you place his international and club experience side by side with Uzoho – FACT!
Josh,
1) After Nwabili keeps against Messi in the world cup (one of the most gifted player in the entire history of football).
2) After Nwabili keeps out Ronaldo in Europa League (another all time world class player).
3) After Nwabili plays consistently with Eguavoen and Peseiro’s porous 4-2-4 formation.
Then we can revisit this conversation about how good he is against Uzoho or whether he (Nwabili) is a flash in the pan.
For now, in terms of pedigree and experience, Uzoho is head and shoulders ahead of Nwabili, FACT!
@ deo, I appreciate you for making great effort to present a balanced and objective argument or should I say case for Okoye. However, hidden within your argument is a clear bias. This bias thus , makes your argument to be unbalanced or not an objective one.
Your use of the following phrase and statement makes your argument to be one that is far from being an objective one:
“It will be interesting for you to argue against greater competition for your Nwabili.”
“Levels dey a beg and Nwabili is at this time a flash in the pan when you place his international and club experience side by side with Uzoho – FACT!”
I don’t think this is how you win an argument or even win over Nigerian football fans who have pitched their tents with Nwabali.
Nigerian fans know a good goalkeeper when they see one. For your information the Okalas, Ogedengbes, Rufais, Agbonabaire, Alloy Agus, Shorounmus and Enyeamas of this wold started from Nigerian local league and played the African champions cup and African cup winners cup. They proved themselves as local goalkeepers before even going to Europe, at least if we factor in the experiences of Rufai, Agbonabaire, and Enyeama. Enyeama was our 1st choice goalkeeper while still playing in Nigeria and Africa. So, your argument against Nwabali playing in Africa does not hold water.
Like I said before, Nigerian fans know a good goalkeeper for the super eagles when they see one. Nwabali has so far proved to be more reliable and dependable than either Okoye or Uzoho regardless of where both of them currently ply their trade.
Josh my brother, Nwabili is good. But I remain unconvinced at this time that he surpasses Uzoho and Okoye in every area of goalkeeping skills.
Like I said, I will entertain this conversation further and shift my stance after Nwabili has posted sterling performances against teams like Brazil, Argentina, Portugal and Croatia.
Also, I will like Nwabili to keep in 10 games with Nigeria playing 4-2-4, then I can compare him better with Uzoho and Okoye.
For now, let him enjoy the adulation 3-4-3 formation has helped him attain in the eyes of gullibility.
The difference between Nwabali and the other SE keepers is that he plays regularly for his club side. Unlike the others, he is not sitting on the bench for more or less a whole season. Nothing sharpens the reflexes better than constant competitive matches. A keeper with constant matches for a lowly-rated league is better than a reserve bench-sitter for the best club in the world.
True – Tristan. True talk.
An active Uzoho proved in 2019 to be better. An active Okoye is currently holding his own in Italy.
If active in club football, Uzoho Cyprus and Okoye will Italy will give you Nwabili a run for his Naira.
I watched the game and I have to give Okoye his flowers. To be honest I never thought he could displace Sylvestri despite the fact that he’s a top goalie in his own right.
The positive now is that we now have more options in goal. Nwabali will definitely be going to the Belgian of French league at the end of the season according to sources. I think the person that will likely drop out will be Uzoho. Adeleye still plays regularly in Israel, but his lack of height works against him. Aniagboso and Nwosu are ones for the future.
My main concern is the SuperEagles midfield. We need more options in the creative midfield position. Players who are not afraid to take on opponents and not scared to challenge anyone for a tackle.
Agreed Peseiro’s system was energy sapping and our midfielders were ran ragged without adequate options on the bench. However, I like the ingenuity and knowing the limitations of your team. We still need a genuine ball playing midfielder that can carry the ball like Kessie and Fofana does for Ivory Coast. Etebo was that player but he’s without a club at the moment.
As much as we have the best attacking options in Africa, we also fluff many scoring opportunities or should I say we don’t know how to score?? It’s frustrating that our attackers couldn’t score more than one goal in most matches. We must do better in that aspect.
In my opinion I’m not sure Maduka is ready to come back yet. Even at that he will be second choice to Nwabali for now until the later makes a somewhat costly mistake.
Go straight to the point, Ayo. Simply put, you are wishing Nwabali bad luck to make Okoye no1. Your thoughts don’t count though because Okoye has his time, but nobody wishes him bad, but he fumbled just like Uzoho, so why wish Nwabali to make mistakes?
You Oga Rohr followers have started again.
God has chosen Nwabali to become Super Eagles no1. Therefore, you have no choice but to support the work of God.
If you can’t fix it, then don’t break it, Ayo. Nwabali is here to stay because I worked so hard to discover that guy for Nigeria, and now, Nigerians are proud of both of us. Please you people should leave Nwabali alone. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Even if he makes mistakes he has earned the right to remain number one. So in your view he’s immortal? Or he’s an Angel or he’s Jesus Christ or Anọbi Mohammed SAW that can never make a mistake?? Are you for real Ọmọ9ja??
Who is wishing Nwabali to make mistakes?? You that I know very well. Once Nwabali makes a mistake you will be the first person here to castigate him. Lmao!!
The good thing is that we have options because Okoye is also a good goalkeeper and he’s even younger. Therefore, anything is possible. The SuperEagles is open to everyone who wants to add value to it.
At least there was a time the goalkeeping position was a problem. Now we have Nwabali Okoye and Adeleye commanding regular shirts at their clubs. Come to think of it do you think it’s easy to be commanding regular shirt in a Serie A club??
Okoye still remains a viable option whether we like it or not because he’s still a young goalkeeper. Nwabali is just ahead for now.
“Once Nwabali makes a mistake you (Omo9ja) will be the first person here to castigate him. Lmao!”
AYTheGr8t
I rest my case.
Okoye is a bad goalkeeper,he can have a good game every now and then ,when opponents are poor, having said that,I think he should remain in Italy and never near the super eagles.i don’t want to see howlers anymore,the ones they did is enough
I can see why some people deserves this country I’m short of words cause I don’t want to be disrespectful
Okoye is doing well but Nwabili is the top.
Nwabali still remains the number 1 GK. The fact is that he didn’t disappoint when called upon to save the team in prolly the toughest AFCON in history.
Great to know that Okoye is getting regular playing time. Hopefully, he gets his chances in friendly matches and brings out the best in Nwabali. Who knows he could surprise the world like Ekong did because both were English league flops.
Uzohobasket will be the one to be eased out of the team.
You can see the narcissist coming out to look for excuses not bring down Nwabali about him being susceptible, please how many saves did he make in that match? Even the shot he paried away i bet you will enter the net if Uzoho was in goal. Suddenly they all coming out to make excuses Okoye. Okoye should remain in Italy, he has been given many chances to return to the national team and if he keeps turning them down with excuses, then let him be.
Stanley ‘Jan Oblak’ Nwabali is better than Uzoho and Okoye combined. If Nwabali was born in Europe, he would be playing for a top team in Spain, England, Italy or Germany.
Congrats to Okoye but Nwabali is clear in every aspect of goalkeeping. Its not even close.
You can see the narcissist coming out to look for excuses not bring down Nwabali about him being susceptible, please how many saves did he make in that match? Even the shot he paried away i bet you will enter the net if Uzoho or okoye are in goal. Suddenly they all coming out to make excuses Okoye. Okoye should remain in Italy, he has been given many chances to return to the national team and if he keeps turning them down with excuses, then let him be. If he likes let him keep making save till tomorrow, i for one don’t care, you not bigger than the national team. Except he bribes his way back into the team
That shot Nwabali saved had more sting, ferocity and venom than the shot from Thomas Partey which denied us World Cup ticket. Partey took a hopeful shot from Accra, somehow it slipped through Uzoho. How about the shot from Msakni that pushed Okoye’s ajibo-hand into our net? Even if Nigeria had Uzoho/Okoye in goal, noway we would’ve reached final. How what 98% of Nigerian fans saw about Nwabali is still elusive to two people in this forum needs to be studied in school!
Half fit Nwabali is better than Okoye and Uzoho combined; let Okoye concentrate on his club carreer; we have seen enough of his mediocrity and that of old man in young age Ozoho
Half fif Nwabali is better than Okoye and Uzoho basket combined….
We have had enough of okoye mediocrity, he should concentrate on his oars career
If any defence cracks, the keeper go chop goal. Flash in the pan or not, Nwabali is the best for now until somebody else dislodge am.
In a tournament where we parked ABC Transport bus with seven men,restricting our opponents to zero or largely speculative efforts, where the best player in the entire 24team tournament was our Central defender, some people want to gag us into accepting that a GK who displayed more drama than goalkeeping, kept punching balls back to our opponents and fell either flat footed on his feet or on his bum everytime our 3 CBs line was breached, only to be saved by the post (vs angola) or the referee (vs GB), or watch helplessly with the ball rolling 4ft away from him into the net (vs EG) is some superstar GK…LMAOoo….as if he produced game defining moments such as one on one’s like Williams, Niasse of Mauritania or Owono of EG.
I make bold to say his GK poor decision making blunder for CIV’s 1st goal Kickstarted our demise in that final, cos the boys just dropped their heads immediately the ball went in and never raised it again till the end of the game
Even the penalty saves he made in the shootout, he had it all written for him on a waterbottle handed to him by our video analyst b4 the start of the shoot out. So whats spectacular about it all. Like really How can I exhault a student I already gave my marking guide to study even if he scores 100%, not to talk of the one that scored 50%…. LMAOoo
What a rush….LMAOoo. See overhyping abeg….LMAOoo.
CAF must be daft to have handed Williams the best GK award. This is someone who produced as many cleenshhets playing for an attacking side, compared to our showman who had the covering of 7 men including the best player in the entire tournament, a CB.
Like I’ve said b4, Nwabili, decent GK best, good addition to the team. I particularly love his physique, but when we no longer have the luxury of Greyhound buses parked in his front, when we revert back to our previous attack attack 442 with only omeruo and shaky shaky Bassey in CB or Slow as snail Van Dijk Ajayi and olisah ‘nesta’ ndah in CB and only ndidi in DM, that is when I will start rating him.
I don’t care about popular opinion….research has shown that popular oppionion is not always the right opinion.
I thought some people said he would be signed in Europe after this afcon…LMAOoo…really, yall think that’s how blinded by sentiments Club sporting directors are…??
If bold facing and shouting at defenders were the criteria, Onana by now should have won 3 lev Yasmin awards in a row…LMAOoo
Once again, interesting times are ahead.
Uzoho was already regaining his spot at his club b4 AFCON, Okoye is becoming a regular in the Serie A, Adeleye isn’t doing bad in Isreal too….hopefully (although quite remotely) Nwabali will join them in Europe ( if wishes were horses) and it will make the discourse even more interesting…LMAOoo.
Call me names all you like. The honeymoon will soon be over and the scales will eventually fall off. No be today…LMAOoo
Why didn’t you say all this when the tournament was going on. Coward that you are, you waited till the end of the games to start spilling rubbish as usual. Oga abeg you just a hypocrite coming here seeking brownie points. Hope People can see how fake you are. Because your yeye stats to rubbish Nwabali didn’t work.
Hahahaha…Mr “Nashishsist”….LMAOoo, between you who has been hiding under all sorts of guise to follow Dr.Drey all over the place like flies with your newly learnt keyword, who is more of a coward…LMAOoo
You have ways been daft, so I’m not suprised you once again asked a daft question as usual….LMAOoo
Go and ask CAF why they waited till the end of the tournament before awarding the best goalkeeper award to Williams or why they didn’t award the best player of the tournament to Ekong after the group stages.
Ode lasan lasan omo.
Okponu ayirada that never makes comment of his own….LMAOoo. Awon backbenchers/reply squad oriburuku….LMAOoo
Be chasing Dr.Drey’s comments on CSN up and down ehn….don’t go and learn to start making your own comments and making sensible ones at that….LMAOoo
I dont comment here, I just read complete sports news and sometimes check comments. Am just tempted to ask after reading your write up, do you have a personal issue with Nwabali? Because I think He performed well and the least we can do as Nigerians is to appreciate them. That will be more encouraging for people who sacrifice to represent the nation.
Uzoho regaining his spot from injured first and second choice GKs..
Hahahaha