Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye received backing from Udinese head coach Kosta Runjaic despite the Italian side suffering a disappointing 3-0 home defeat to Lecce in Serie A on Sunday, October 18, 2026.
The defeat at the Bluenergy Stadium extended Udinese’s losing streak to five league matches and left them with just four points from their opening seven games. The club also remained on 16 goals conceded, highlighting the defensive problems that have contributed to their difficult start to the 2026-27 campaign.
Lecce took the lead in the 11th minute when Kialonda Gaspar headed home from a corner. The visitors doubled their advantage in the 33rd minute through Konan N’Dri, who redirected Tiago Gabriel’s header past Okoye.
Udinese struggled to respond, although Jakub Piotrowski briefly appeared to offer hope after scoring early in the second half. His effort was ruled out for offside, and Lecce continued to create dangerous opportunities before Jamil Siebert sealed the victory in the 86th minute.
Despite conceding three goals, Okoye produced several important saves to prevent an even heavier defeat. He denied N’Dri on multiple occasions and made further interventions against Willem Geubbels and other Lecce attackers as Udinese’s defence repeatedly came under pressure.
Runjaic acknowledged the goalkeeper’s contribution while expressing his disappointment with the overall team performance.
“Okoye also did a good job and did his part. However, you win and you lose together,” the Udinese manager said after the match, while describing the performance as the worst since his arrival in Udine.
The Nigerian goalkeeper had faced scrutiny following a costly error in Udinese’s previous league defeat against Torino. However, his display against Lecce offered a reminder that the club’s current difficulties extend beyond the individual performance of their first-choice goalkeeper.
Udinese’s defensive struggles have placed increasing pressure on Runjaic as the team searches for a way to stop its slide down the Serie A table. The coach has accepted responsibility for the run of defeats, but the team must improve collectively if it is to recover its early-season form.
For Okoye, the priority will be to maintain his place and continue producing strong individual performances while Udinese work to address their defensive weaknesses. The Super Eagles international will also hope to carry that form into future commitments with Nigeria.
Udinese must now regroup quickly, with AC Milan next on the schedule. After five consecutive defeats, a response will be essential if the Friulian side are to move away from the relegation places and restore confidence.
