Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye did not do his chances of making it back into the Super Eagles squad any good with his display againsr Verona
Super Eagles hopeful Maduka Okoye was on the wrong end of late drama as Verona beat Udinese 1-0 in Serie A thanks to a 72nd-minute winner.
Verona had a magnificent freekick from Ondrej Duda to thank for their crucial win in their battle to avoid relegation from the Serie A this season.
How it happened
Udinese, who had been on a six-game unbeaten run, were looking to push for European spots, but their momentum was halted as Verona grabbed a much-needed three points.
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The match started with both sides testing the goalkeepers, with Oumar Solet and Daniel Mosquera going close.
Udinese had more of the ball and looked dangerous, especially after the break when Kingsley Ehizibue cut inside and fired just wide.
Arthur Atta and Sandi Lovric also came close with long-range efforts, while Lorenzo Lucca and Ehizibue failed to capitalise on a great Jordan Zemura cross.
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Verona, however, made their moment count. In the 72nd minute, Duda stepped up and curled a stunning free kick over the wall and into the top corner, leaving Udinese’s Okoye helpless.
The home side pushed for an equaliser, but their best chance late on fell through as Atta’s header in stoppage time was disappointing.
With this win, Verona took a big step towards safety, while Udinese’s European ambitions suffered a major setback.