Super Eagles forward Gift Orban was once again on the scoresheet, but his goal could not save Hellas Verona from a painful 3–1 home defeat to Udinese in Monday night’s Serie A clash.
The Nigerian striker showed his sharp instincts in the box, yet Verona’s defensive lapses proved costly on a frustrating evening.
Gift Orban shines again despite Verona setback
Orban continued his strong run of form by drawing Verona level after Udinese had taken an early lead. The 23-year-old reacted quickest to a loose ball in the area and finished calmly, giving the home fans hope of a turnaround.
That strike marked Orban’s seventh goal of the season and his third in the last five matches.
He has now recorded eight goal contributions in 15 starts, a solid return in a difficult campaign.
Udinese punish Verona as Gift Orban’s goal falls short
Udinese struck first in the 23rd minute through Arthur Atta, who capped an impressive solo run with a powerful finish that beat Simone Perilli.
Verona responded almost immediately, with Orban making no mistake after a defensive error allowed him space inside the box.
The first half ended level, but Udinese regained control after the break. Alessandro Zanoli restored the visitors’ lead with a well-taken rebound, before Jeinan Davis sealed the result nine minutes later with a composed finish following another move involving Atta.
The visitors left Verona with all three points, extending the hosts’ poor run to seven matches without a win.
Verona will now look to regroup ahead of their trip to Cagliari on Saturday, with Gift Orban expected to remain a key figure as they search for a return to winning ways in Serie A.