Maduka Okoye: From Man of the Match to Picking the Ball Out Five Times!

Just three days after producing a Man of the Match performance against Parma, Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye had a rather different evening at the Bluenergy Stadium.

This time, the Nigerian was busy picking the ball out of his net as Udinese were hammered 5-2 by a ruthless AS Roma side.​

And if Manchester United are watching Roma ahead of their upcoming Champions League meeting, there was certainly plenty to take note of!

Roma wasted little time turning the evening into a difficult one for Udinese.

The visitors scored four times in the first half, leaving Okoye and his teammates with a mountain to climb before the interval.

To be fair to the Nigerian, not every goal was his fault. Udinese's defensive organisation left plenty to be desired, and Roma were ruthless enough to punish almost every opening.

The hosts eventually found a way back into the contest, reducing the deficit to 4-2 and briefly giving their supporters something to cheer about.

But just when a comeback looked like it might become interesting, Roma had other plans.

Okoye continued to work through a busy evening, making four saves to prevent the scoreline from becoming even more embarrassing. However, there was no stopping the final blow.

Ghilardi struck late in added time to complete Roma's five-goal performance and put an end to any hopes of a dramatic Udinese comeback.

Five conceded and four saves. One very long evening at the office.

It is a brutal reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in football.

Against Parma, Okoye was the headline act, saving a penalty and earning Man of the Match recognition.

Against Roma, he found himself on the receiving end of a five-goal demolition, despite making several important stops.

The goalkeeper will certainly want to forget this one quickly.

But for Roma, it was a statement performance. And for anyone preparing to face Gian Piero Gasperini's men, there was plenty to study.

Okoye went from saving the day to trying to save the scoreline. What a way to come back down to earth!