Udinese manager Kosta Runjaic has criticised a costly communication breakdown between Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye and defender Nicolò Bertola following his side’s 2-1 defeat to Torino in their Serie A encounter on Monday night.

Speaking after the match at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, the German tactician expressed disappointment over the defensive error in the 67th minute, which allowed substitute Sandro Kulenović to score into an unguarded net and secure victory for the hosts.

Runjaic believes Udinese could have earned a point had the misunderstanding between Okoye and Bertola not occurred.

“Without that error between Bertola and Okoye, the match would probably have ended in a draw,” Runjaic told DAZN.

“We lost because of a big mistake… It was a lack of communication and perception, and with mistakes like these you end up losing games.”

The defeat extended Udinese’s losing streak to four consecutive Serie A matches, increasing the pressure on Runjaic as his team struggles to find consistency in the early stages of the campaign.

Despite the disappointing result, the coach maintained that his side had not performed poorly overall, pointing to Jurgen Ekkelenkamp’s first-half equaliser as evidence of their ability to compete against Torino.

However, he lamented the individual mistakes that have continued to undermine the team’s efforts and cost them valuable points.

The Udinese manager has now challenged his players to improve their concentration and communication, particularly in defensive situations, as they seek to end their losing run and revive their league campaign.

For Okoye, the incident adds to a difficult night for the Nigerian international, whose understanding with his defensive colleagues will be crucial as Udinese attempt to recover from their recent setbacks.