Maduka Okoye recorded his first clean sheet of the season as Udinese secured a 1–0 victory over Atalanta, handing Ivan Juric’s side their first league defeat of the campaign.
Nicolò Zaniolo scored the only goal of the match to give Udinese all three points.
Although Okoye was rarely tested, the Nigerian goalkeeper delivered a composed performance.
He completed 22 passes and eight accurate long balls, playing an important role in Udinese’s build-up play.
Disappointing night for Atalanta
Ademola Lookman, introduced in the 59th minute, struggled to make an impact completing just six accurate passes and failing to deliver a single cross in a quiet display.
The defeat adds to the growing pressure on Atalanta head coach Ivan Jurić, who has endured a difficult start since taking charge at the beginning of the season.
The team has managed only two wins in ten La Liga fixtures and one victory in three UEFA Champions League matches, sparking concerns among the fans.
Speaking to the media after the match, Juric did not hide his disappointment.
“For the first time, the performance was negative in every sense of the word,” he Juric said.
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“For the first time since I’ve been here, I’ve had a bad feeling. We didn’t play well or show the right intensity in our tackles.
“We need to work hard for the next match and hope it doesn’t happen again. We know Udinese’s characteristics, and we made five substitutions to maintain freshness, but today it wasn’t the usual Atalanta.”
He also admitted that the team’s overall play was below par, adding:
“Nothing special, no science , you have good games and bad games. Today was bad.”
Atalanta currently sit 11th in La Liga, far below expectations.
Meanwhile, the victory is a big one for Udinese, they have climbed to eighth place with four wins from eight matches, an impressive return for a club operating on a modest budget.
Since Okoye’s return to the starting lineup on October 20, Udinese have lost just once, a narrow defeat to Juventus which shows the stability the Nigerian goalkeeper brings to the team.
