Udinese manager praises Super Eagles goalkeeper Okoye after Lecce defeat
Udinese manager Kosta Runjaic praised Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye for his performance despite the team’s 3-0 loss to Lecce in Serie A on Sunday, October 19, 2026. Runjaic acknowledged Okoye made several crucial saves, denied scoring opportunities for Lecce’s N’Dri and Kaba, and produced a vital one‑on‑one stop against Geubbels, even as the Bianconeri suffered their fifth consecutive defeat.
The praise comes after Okoye’s costly error in Udinese’s previous league match against Torino, where his mistake led to the decisive goal. Runjaic stressed that success and failure are collective, expressing confidence in the 27‑year‑old Nigerian keeper and noting that, except for defenders Davis and Alaba in the first half, the team did not show its best side.
Okoye has featured in eight matches for Udinese this season across all competitions, with his only clean sheet coming in the Coppa Italia game versus Padova on August 15. For Nigerian fans, the endorsement from his club coach could bolster his claim to the Super Eagles’ starting goalkeeper spot ahead of upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Will Okoye’s renewed club form translate into a guaranteed place between the posts for Nigeria, or will the coaching staff look at other options as the qualifiers approach?