Hellas Verona head coach Paolo Sammarco has explained his decision to substitute Nigerian forward Gift Orban during his side’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Fiorentina in the Serie A.

Verona produced a spirited performance but were ultimately undone late in the game, with Nicolò Fagioli scoring the decisive goal in the 82nd minute.

The home side created numerous chances throughout the encounter, forcing goalkeeper David de Gea into several key saves, but failed to find the finishing touch.

Orban started the match and was actively involved in Verona’s attacking play.

The Nigerian forward came close in the first half, notably in the 32nd minute when he carved out space and fired a powerful effort toward the roof of the net, only to be denied by De Gea.

He also remained a physical presence, battling defenders and contributing to Verona’s forward momentum.

However, Sammarco opted to substitute the 23-year-old in the 67th minute, introducing Amin Sarr as part of a tactical reshuffle aimed at increasing attacking efficiency.

Despite the change, Verona were unable to break the deadlock before Fiorentina struck late on.

Speaking after the match, Sammarco acknowledged Orban’s contribution but explained the tactical reasoning behind his substitution.

The Verona coach stressed that the decision was based on in-game dynamics rather than dissatisfaction with the striker’s performance.

“He did good things, but I saw Bowie more involved in the game,” Sammarco said, as quoted by Ansa.

The former Lyon forward has been a key figure for Verona this season, scoring seven goals across all competitions and emerging as the club’s leading scorer. 

Wale Adejumo