Nigerian international goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye has expressed delight over his return to the pitch after serving a two-month suspension for alleged betting irregularities, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The 26-year-old shot-stopper made his season debut for Udinese in their 1-1 draw with Cremonese on Monday night.
Okoye was suspended in July following allegations of match manipulation linked to a yellow card incident during Udinese's 2-1 win over Lazio in March 2024.
However, he was eventually handed a reduced two-month ban.
The goalkeeper took to social media to celebrate his return to action, and his performance against Cremonese was solid, with two saves and 76% pass accuracy.
“Happy to be back, back to doing what I love most,” he posted.
“Back to fighting alongside my teammates, back to fighting in front of our fans, back to doing what I am doing since a young boy.
“Back to following the path my father fought for, back to having fun, back to chasing dreams, back to doing what I’ll die for.”
Okoye's comeback also puts him in contention for a spot in Nigeria's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs against Gabon.
By Olujimi Dare Ogun