Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye made an outstanding impact in Udinese’ Serie A opener against Bologna on Sunday.

The Nigerian delivered a standout performance that earned his team a valuable point in their 1-1 draw against Champions League campaigners, Bologna.

Okoye, who carried his impressive form from last season into the new campaign, made five crucial saves that prevented what could have been a heavy defeat for Udinese.

Despite Bologna’s dominance, the 24-year-old’s heroics between the post ensured that Udinese avoided a potential 5-1 loss.

His most notable save came early in the match when Bologna captain Riccardo Orsolini cut inside and unleashed a dangerous shot toward the near bottom corner.

Okoye reacted swiftly, making a tricky one-handed stop to deny the effort. Later, he produced another remarkable save, thwarting Luis Castro’s through ball to Orsolini by throwing himself in the way of a close-range finish.

Okoye was finally beaten in the second half when Bologna was awarded a penalty after Giannetti tripped Martin Erlic in the box. Orsolini stepped up and converted from the spot, giving Bologna the lead.

However, Udinese quickly responded, finding an equalizer from a corner shortly after missing a penalty of their own.

As Bologna continued to press for a winner, Okoye remained resolute, pulling off additional saves from Michel Aebischer and Nehuen Perez and bravely blocking a strike from Niccolò Cambiaghi.

Okoye’s stellar debut performance sets a promising tone for his season with Udinese, highlighting his crucial role in the team’s ambitions this year.