Maduka Okoye was back in action, while Fisayo Dele-Bashiru made the bench as Udinese and Lazio played out a 1-1 draw in Monday night’s Serie A clash.
Okoye reclaimed his spot as Udinese’s number one, featuring for the full 90 minutes, while Dele-Bashiru, returning from an ankle injury that had sidelined him since February, remained an unused substitute for Lazio.
Udinese took the lead in the 22nd minute through Florian Thauvin, but Alessio Romagnoli equalized for Lazio 10 minutes later.
The result extended Udinese’s unbeaten run to five matches (three wins, two draws), while Lazio stretched theirs to three (two wins, one draw).
The draw leaves Lazio in fifth place with 51 points, while Udinese sit 10th with 40 points.
The return of Okoye and Dele-Bashiru is a positive boost for the Super Eagles ahead of this month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
Both players were included in Nigeria’s 39-man provisional squad for the crucial fixtures.
Dele-Bashiru, eager to prove his fitness, faces a race against time to convince head coach Eric Chelle that he is ready for selection.
Meanwhile, Okoye, now fully recovered from a wrist injury, will be looking to cement his place in the final squad as Nigeria fights to revive their qualification hopes.
The German-born goalkeeper has had a challenging season but appears to have won back the trust of Udinese’s coaching staff, reclaiming the starting role between the posts.
Nigeria’s Qualification Struggles
The Super Eagles currently sit fifth in Group C, four points behind leaders Rwanda. With only three points from four games, Nigeria must secure maximum points in the upcoming fixtures to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
Nigeria will first travel to Kigali to face Rwanda before hosting Zimbabwe in Uyo. Anything less than two victories could further complicate their qualification path.
Chelle is expected to announce his final 23-man squad in the coming days, with Okoye and Dele-Bashiru hoping to make the cut.
