Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye endured a night to forget as Udinese suffered a heavy 5–1 defeat to Fiorentina on Sunday evening at the Artemio Franchi Stadium.

Okoye was shown a straight red card in the seventh minute for serious foul play after clashing with Moise Kean while attempting to clear a loose ball outside his area. 

The Nigerian shot-stopper rushed off his line to intervene but mistimed his challenge, colliding with the Italian forward on the edge of the box and denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

The early dismissal left Udinese with 10 men and drastically altered the momentum of the match, with Fiorentina taking full advantage to claim a dominant home victory. 

The red card proved costly as the hosts piled on the pressure in front of their supporters.

Following Okoye’s sending off, Udinese manager Kosta Runjaić was forced into a swift tactical adjustment, withdrawing Christian Kabasele to bring on Romanian goalkeeper Răzvan Sava.

The setback comes at a difficult time for Okoye, who has been in good form since returning from a betting-related suspension in October. 

The 26-year-old has delivered standout performances for Udinese this campaign, saving a penalty and recording three clean sheets in 10 league appearances.

His upcoming suspension will be a significant blow for the club, which has relied heavily on his resurgence between the sticks.

It also adds to the disappointment for Okoye, who was recently left out of Nigeria’s squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle opted instead for Francis Uzoho, Amos Obasogie, and Stanley Nwabali as his preferred goalkeeping trio for the continental tournament.

Okoye will now shift his focus to regrouping ahead of his return from suspension, hoping to continue the impressive form that has revived his career this season.

Adeyemi Adewale