Super Eagles and Udinese of Italy defender, William Troost-Ekong played full time in Udinese 2-1 home win over Bologna.
The Nigerian has remained one of the most consistency Nigerian players in Europe as he continued to marshal the defense line of the Serie A side.
Troost-Ekong’s Udinese are battling to avoid the drop but Ignacio Pussetto won a penalty and scored the decisive goal as Udinese saw off Bologna in a potentially crucial relegation dogfight.
This was a relegation six-pointer between two teams in a poor period of form.
Troost-Ekong was all over the place thwarting the efforts of the visitors and Bologna really should have taken the lead on 12 minutes, but a free kick was charged down; the Federico Santander rebound was well saved by Juan Musso and at the third attempt Ibrahima Mbaye’s angled drive bounced off the inside of the far post and into the goalkeeper’s grateful arms.
Andrea Poli gifted Udinese the opening goal when he was caught in possession just outside the box, then lightly tugged Ignacio Pussetto’s shirt for a penalty. Pussetto certainly made the most of the slight contact to go down, but Rodrigo De Paul set Lukasz Skorupski the wrong way to convert.
Bologna continued to push and after a series of goalmouth scrambles, found their equaliser. At the end of a well-worked team move, Riccardo Orsolini rolled across the face of goal from the right for Rodrigo Palacio to tap in.
Jens Stryger-Larsen’s snapshot stung the gloves of Skorupski and the goalkeeper had to work even harder when Pussetto gathered a knockdown to blast from the edge of the area.
Musso pushed an Orsolini drive round the base of the near post, then Pussetto went on a mazy run with both De Paul and Rolando Mandragora unable to finish it off after Skorupski saves.
Udinese finally restored their lead 11 minutes from time, as Pussetto ghosted between defenders to find a free header on Stryger-Larsen’s cross from the right.