Udinese head coach hails Nigeria’s Maduka Okoye after impressive showing in Coppa Italia win

Udinese head coach Kosta Runjaic has singled out Maduka Okoye for praise after the goalkeeper made an impressive return from injury in Sunday’s 1-0 Coppa Italia win over Padova.

Okoye was thrust straight into the starting lineup despite being sidelined throughout pre-season with a shoulder injury. The Nigeria international responded with a composed performance, producing crucial saves and finishing the game with a clean sheet.

Runjaic was pleased with how Okoye handled his first competitive appearance after a lengthy spell on the treatment table, particularly given the demands of returning to action without the benefit of pre-season matches.

“Okoye was playing his first game back from injury and kept a clean sheet. The overall record is good, but we don’t want to get too excited; we need to stay focused ahead of the Como match,” Runjaic told the club’s official website.

Runjaic impressed by Okoye’s response

The Udinese coach’s comments underline the importance of Okoye’s display as he looks to regain his place as one of the club’s key options in goal.

Rather than showing signs of inactivity, the 26-year-old looked assured throughout the encounter and played his part in ensuring Keinan Davis’ 35th-minute strike was enough to send Udinese into the next round.

For Runjaic, the clean sheet was particularly encouraging considering the circumstances surrounding Okoye’s comeback.

The German coach, however, was careful not to allow the victory to overshadow the work still required from his team, with Udinese now turning their attention to the Serie A opener against Como.

Okoye begins fight for regular role

The performance gives Okoye an early boost in his bid to establish himself as Udinese’s first-choice goalkeeper this season.

After an extended absence, his immediate challenge will be to build on Sunday’s display and regain full match sharpness as the competitive campaign gathers pace.

Runjaic’s praise will also offer encouragement to the Nigerian, who now has an opportunity to convert his impressive comeback into a sustained run in the Udinese side.