Udinese forward Florian Thauvin has praised goalkeeper Maduka Okoye for his outstanding performance on his return from injury.

The Nigerian shot-stopper returned to action for Udinese in their 1-1 draw against Lazio on Monday, March 10.

It was the 25-year-old's first appearance since suffering a wrist injury in December.

Okoye’s exceptional display ensured that the Zebras secured a vital point at the Stadio Olimpico.

Thauvin, who scored Udinese's only goal of the match, commended the Super Eagles goalkeeper for his crucial role in maintaining the draw.

“I’m back to my best levels, I’m happy. I worked every day to get back to this level, but without a team, great performances don’t come,” the French international told the club's official website.

“We’re having a great season. I’m happy for Maduka, who came back and had a great performance, and I’m happy for the team. It’s an important point, and we have to continue like this.

“We’ve achieved our goal, which was safety. Now we’ll think game by game. We can do great things. It’s our best season in twelve years—let’s see where we can get to.”

WDN