Gift Orban scores again but Udinese sink Verona
Gift Orban found the net for the seventh time this Serie A season, but his effort was not enough to prevent Hellas Verona from slipping to a 3-1 home defeat against Udinese on Monday night.
The result extended Verona’s winless run in the league and compounded their relegation concerns as the second half of the season gathers pace.
Early response not rewarded
Verona entered the context looking to snap a six-game winless streak against an Udinese side that had also struggled for consistency in recent weeks.
Despite the positive start, the hosts were caught out in the 23rd minute when Arthur Atta struck to give Udinese the lead.
The response was immediate. Three minutes later, Orban capitalised on a defensive lapse to restore parity, finishing confidently to beat Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye. The Nigerian forward’s goal briefly lifted the home crowd and gave Verona hope of building on something.
However, that momentum failed to translate into sustained pressure, with Udinese gradually regaining control of the game.
Udinese pull away after the break
The visitors reasserted their dominance in the second half and retook the lead in the 58th minute through Alessandro Zanoli, who found space in the box to convert from close range.
Verona struggled to recover, and any lingering doubt was removed nine minutes later when Keinan Davis added a third goal, effectively sealing the contest.
Udinese’s sharper edge in attack proved decisive. The Friulani registered 20 attempts on goal, underlining their control of the game, while Verona managed just seven efforts across the 90 minutes.
Relegation pressure mounts
Orban’s latest strike took him to seven goals in 19 league appearances, a respectable return in a difficult campaign for Verona.
However, the defeat leaves the Gialloblu four points adrift of safety and still searching for their first league win of 2026.
Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye produced a solid performance for Udinese, making three saves from four shots on target to help his side secure all three points.
Verona will look to halt their slide when they travel to face Cagliari in their final fixture of January on the 31st. With 16 league games remaining, urgency is growing as the battle to avoid relegation intensifies.
