Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye registered his first Serie A penalty save on Saturday but admitted it was overshadowed by the team’s 3-0 loss to Bologna.

The breakthrough moment came in the first half when VAR awarded Bologna a penalty for Kingsley Ehizibue’s handball.

Okoye guessed right to stop Riccardo Orsolini’s effort, keeping the score level and briefly giving Udinese hope.

That momentum quickly faded. Bologna dominated the second half and punished Udinese’s defensive lapses to secure a comfortable win.

Okoye: ‘We need to improve defensively’

Okoye, speaking to the club’s official website, said the performance highlighted ongoing issues at the back.

“I’m happy with the penalty saved, but not with the match, which we started well anyway,” he said.

“That’s football: I saved a penalty but then I made a mistake on the second goal. We need to move forward and analyse the good and bad things we did today.”

He didn’t shy away from addressing concerns about the team’s defensive record.

“Are we the worst defence? We often take risks; that’s our football. We win, but we also lose like that. We need to improve defensively, myself first. Mistakes are part of the game, but we need to reduce them.”

Eyes on next match and AFCON competition

Despite the setback, Okoye urged for focus. “In football, the most important thing is the result, but we also want to play well. We need to stay united and focus on the next match.”

Since returning from a betting ban in October, Okoye has become crucial for Udinese. His form could also intensify competition with Stanley Nwabali for the Super Eagles’ goalkeeping spot ahead of AFCON.