Parma forward N. Elphege scored the only goal as Cuesta García's side beat Udinese 1-0 at the Bluenergy Stadium on April 19, sealing three points that, according to multiple Italian outlets, effectively resolved the ducali's relegation concerns for 2025-26.
The timing matters as much as the result. Parma entered the weekend sitting 13th in Serie A with 39 points from 33 matches — a record of nine wins, twelve draws, and twelve defeats — and a goal difference that told a cautious story: 24 scored, 40 conceded. A squad that has leaked goals all season needed someone to produce one at the right moment. Elphege did exactly that.
The goal was his first of the campaign. In four Serie A appearances this season, the 25-year-old had contributed one assist and carried an average rating of 6.80 — solid enough, but without the attacking return to justify a regular starting role. Sunday changed the ledger. Corriere dello Sport noted his impact in the decisive fixture, the kind of contribution that a squad player with an AI overall rating of 58 and a ceiling assessed at 68 needs to demonstrate if he is to expand his role under Cuesta García.
The Corriere headline also flagged the curiosity of his surname — shared with a celebrated former defender of Lazio and Milan — though Elphege's contribution here was purely offensive. The name association is a footnote; the three points are the story.
Parma's season has been defined by defensive fragility and a shortage of goals, and the win at Udine addresses neither problem structurally. But with survival now secured in practical terms, Cuesta García has the latitude to experiment in the final matches. For Elphege, a goal in a decisive away fixture is the clearest argument he has made all season for a larger share of minutes in 2026-27.