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NEW
AFCON 2025
)
The forgotten Super Eagles invitee put David De Gea to slaughter to deepen Fiorentina's relegation woes
Gift Orban may have slipped off the Super Eagles radar since 2023, but his latest Serie A outing was a powerful reminder of his quality.
The Nigerian forward delivered a man-of-the-match display to inspire Hellas Verona to a crucial 2–1 win over Fiorentina, outshining former Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea in the process.
Orban makes instant impact in relegation six-pointer
The clash at the Artemio Franchi had all the intensity of a relegation six-pointer, with both sides struggling badly in Serie A despite Fiorentina’s brighter European form.
The opening exchanges were frantic, with chances at both ends, including Martin Frese striking the crossbar and Moise Kean firing narrowly over.
Verona were forced into an early change in the 35th minute when Giovane was withdrawn, but his replacement, Orban, wasted no time in making his presence felt.
Just minutes before half-time, the Nigerian striker broke the deadlock, slotting home from the edge of the box following a swift counterattack. His finish left De Gea with no chance and gave Verona a precious lead heading into the break.
Late heroics seal MOTM display despite AFCON snub
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Fiorentina pushing hard for an equaliser and creating several opportunities.
Dodô and Luca Ranieri both went close before the hosts finally drew level in the 69th minute through an unfortunate own goal by Unai Núñez. With the game seemingly drifting towards a draw, Verona kept their belief.
Deep into stoppage time, Orban struck again. Given space inside the box, he finished with aplomb to restore Verona’s lead and secure all three points, sealing a memorable brace against De Gea.
The late winner condemned Fiorentina to another damaging defeat, leaving them eight points adrift of safety, while Verona closed to within two points of 17th place.
Despite his match-winning heroics and standout performance, Orban’s display came just days after he was omitted from Nigeria’s 28-man squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, a decision that will only fuel debate given his current form.