Maduka Okoye‘s crucial late save secured a draw for Udinese against Cremonese.
Returning from his suspension, Maduka Okoye made an immediate impact by denying Cremonese a winning goal in the closing moments, ensuring Udinese left with a point.
Filippo Terracciano’s early header gave Cremonese the lead, but Nicolò Zaniolo’s second-half header leveled the score, resulting in a 1-1 stalemate at the Giovanni Zini Stadium.
Match Highlights
Cremonese started the match on the front foot. Just four minutes in, Jari Vandeputte delivered a well-placed set-piece from the left flank, finding Filippo Terracciano who rose sharply at the near post to head the ball into the net, putting the home side ahead.
This early goal energized Cremonese, who continued to press for a second. Federico Bonazzoli and Franco Vázquez came close, with both players hitting the woodwork, but Udinese managed to keep the deficit minimal going into halftime.
After the break, Udinese came out with renewed determination. Their efforts paid off in the 51st minute when Alessandro Zanoli surged forward and sent a pinpoint cross from the right wing. Nicolò Zaniolo met the ball with a powerful header from the left side of the six-yard box, sending it into the top-right corner to equalize.
The remainder of the match saw both teams making strategic substitutions to influence the outcome. Udinese introduced fresh players to increase their attacking threat, while Cremonese brought on forwards, including Jamie Vardy, to challenge the visitors’ defense. Despite these changes, clear scoring opportunities were scarce.
In the dying moments, Vardy nearly clinched victory for Cremonese when he broke through on goal, but Okoye, making his first appearance since the betting suspension, bravely rushed out to block the shot, preserving the draw.
Given Stanley Nwabali‘s recent struggles in goal for the Super Eagles, Maduka Okoye’s comeback offers a valuable alternative for coach Eric Chelle moving forward.