Okoye Admits Inter Milan’s Quality Was Too Much for Udinese

By Dorcas Francis Koji

Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has admitted that Inter Milan’s attacking quality proved too much for his side after they suffered a 5-3 defeat at San Siro on Monday night.

Udinese stunned the hosts with a blistering start, racing into a two-goal lead inside the opening 15 minutes through James Abankwah and Jurgen Ekkelenkamp.

However, Inter responded emphatically, with Carlos Augusto and Niccolò Barella scoring within a 10-minute spell to bring the hosts level.

Marcus Thuram then completed Inter’s comeback three minutes before the hour mark, before Francesco Pio Esposito and Ange-Yoan Bonny added further goals to put the Serie A giants 5-2 ahead.

Udinese managed a late consolation through Idrissa Gueye in stoppage time, but Inter held on to claim all three points.

Reflecting on the encounter, Okoye acknowledged the challenge of facing Inter at the San Siro and praised their relentless attacking approach.

“It’s always difficult against Inter at San Siro. They play very attacking football and don’t stop even after scoring three or four goals. We also had our chances, but they are too strong,” Okoye told Udinese’s official website.

The Nigeria international had already recognised the difficulty of containing Inter before the match but remained confident in Udinese’s preparations.

“There’s no easy way to stop Inter; they have so much quality, but we’ve prepared. It’s always special to play at San Siro; we’re here to get a result,” he said.

Okoye also credited Udinese head coach Kosta Runjaić, his technical staff and fellow goalkeepers for helping him develop since his move to the club from Watford in 2023.

“Since I’ve been at Udine, I’ve gained experience; Coach Runjaic, the staff, and the other goalkeepers have helped me. I’m happy to have made progress, but I still want to improve,” the 27-year-old said.

The goalkeeper enjoyed a strong campaign last season, recording 10 clean sheets in 30 Serie A appearances as Udinese finished 10th.

His performances also reportedly attracted interest from Inter during the summer transfer window, although he ultimately remained with Udinese.

Following Monday’s defeat, Udinese have four points and will now look to respond when they host Cagliari at the Bluenergy Stadium on Saturday.