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Tag: Napoli

  • Two Nigerian forwards top Italian Serie A scorers chart

    Two Nigerian forwards top Italian Serie A scorers chart

    Victor Osimhen has taken his goals haul to 13 in the Italian Serie A after scoring the winning goal in Napoli’s 2-0 away win over Salernitana on Saturday.

    Andre-Frank Anguissa combined with Mario Rui to pull back from the by-line, as Di Lorenzo took a touch and smashed the finish off the underside of the crossbar on the stroke of 45th minute to end the first half in favour of Napoli.

    Upon restart of the second half, the Nigerian striker tapped in a rebound shot after Eljif Elmas right-foot strike from outside the box bounced off the far post, into his path to make it a fourth goalscoring league match in five, and put himself four goals clear of his nearest chasers in the league’s scoring charts.

    Another Nigerian attacker, Ademola Lookman has been painting the Italian Serie A  with goals after closing in on his closest rival Osimhen.

    Lookman reduced the tally between himself and Osimhen to two after grabbing his 11 Serie A goal against Juventus.

    The 25-year-old joined La Dea for €9m in August and has proved to be worth every penny, having scored 13 goals in 19 appearances, including two against Juventus on Saturday evening.

    Already, Juventus are already looking to sign the deadly attacker who has been dubbed defender’s nightmare in the Scudetto.

    Both players have been selected for the Serie A player of the month award category for January.

  • Osimhen grabs brace in Napoli’s 5-1 thumping of Juventus

    Osimhen grabs brace in Napoli’s 5-1 thumping of Juventus

    Nigerian forward, Victor Osimhen grabbed a brace and provided two assists in Napoli’s 5-1 humiliation of Juventus at the Diego Maradona stadium on Friday in the Italian Serie A.

    The game meant Napoli are ten points clear on the top of the Scudetto league standing.

    The Nigeria international headed in a rebound effort after Wojciech Szczesny had parried Kvicha Kvaratskhelia volley from 12 yards in the 15th minute for his 12th Serie A goal (36th league goal) of the season and his 40th for the Napoli since he joined the club.

    In the 39th minute, the former Lille striker made an assist for his side’s second goal after he intelligently rolled the ball across for Kvaratskhelia to sweep home from 10 yards out before Angel Di Maria halved the deficit with a sublime strike inside the box.

    A stunning strike from the edge of the box from Amir Rrahmani restored Napoli’s two goal cushion before Osimhen made it 4-1 with his second header of the game to become the joint top fifth most prolific African goal-scorer in Serie A with Keita Balde.

    It was the first time Osimhen would be scoring against Juventus since he joined from Lille Metropole in  2020.

    The strike also ended Juventus’s unbeaten run of eight games in the Serie A and Szczesny’s eight straight clean sheets which lasted for 770 minutes.

    The gangling striker now leads the pack with 12 goals from 16 games and he’s in the running for the Scudetto’s golden boot award.

    Lautaro Martinez, Marko Arnautovic and M’Bala Nzola comes second third and fourth on the scorer’s chart.

    African record in the Serie A shows that George Weah leads the pack with 46 goals while the trio Gervinho,Mohamed Kallon and Khouma Babacar are joint second with 39 goals.

     

  • Serie A: Osimhen leads scorers chart with ten goals

    Serie A: Osimhen leads scorers chart with ten goals

    Super Eagles and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen grabbed his tenth Serie A goal of the season as Napoli clinched the winner against Sampdoria at Luigi Ferraris Stadium in Italy on Sunday evening.

    The gangling Nigerian striker netted the first goal for table-topping Napoli in the 19th minute and a penalty by Elmas doubled the scoreline in the 82nd minute.

    Luciano Spalletti’s side bounced back from their defeat at Inter Milan on Wednesday and dampened an emotional evening for Sampdoria whose fans said goodbye to two of their most popular former players.

    Sampdoria not only suffered a defeat but had to play with one man down early in the game as Rincon bagged a penalty 38 minutes into the match.

    Osimhen had one goal and five shots in the 90 minutes of game time.

    Napoli lead the Serie A table after amassing 44 points from 17 games while the defeat condemned Sampdoria to the relegation waters.

    Napoli are hoping to win the scudetto for the first time since 1990.

  • Serie A: Osimhen blamed for Napoli’s first loss of the season

    Serie A: Osimhen blamed for Napoli’s first loss of the season

    Italy football legend, Fabrizio Ravanelli, has pointed accusing fingers to Nigerian forward, Victor Osimhen for being largely responsible for Napoli’s first loss of the season to Inter Milan last week Wednesday.

    Ravanelli noted that the Nigerian striker was the biggest failure in Napoli’s 1-0 loss to Inter-Milan at the San Siro Stadium.

    Furthermore, Ravanelli believes Osimhen highlighted the shortcomings of Napoli players in their away defeat at the Sansiro.

    Bosnian player, Edin Dzeko scored the only goal in the 56th minute after heading in Federico Dimarco’s cross from the left side of the pitch.

    Ravanelli who was full of praise for Inter, who ensured they kept their slim hopes of winning the Scudetto alive by claiming maximum points against the league leaders said, “Inter played a great match, they have many merits because they played a match like the one with Barcelona (in UEFA Champions League), big heart, great defence, and great pressing,” Ravanelli said as quoted by Napoli Magazine.

    “He wanted the victory with character and he deserved it, for Napoli several important players failed, one above all Osimhen. Napoli did less than their possibilities.”

    Prior to Wednesday’s defeat to Inter Milan, Napoli hadn’t lost any Serie A game in the current season season.

    , Napoli had not lost any Serie A game in the ongoing campaign after playing 15 times.

    But Napaoli’s 16th game ended in a defeat first tine in season 2022/2023,

    They had won 13 and drawn two of the initial 15 games played, during which the Nigeria international had hit the target nine times and provided two assists.

    Against Inter Milan, Osimhen managed 19 touches, and made two attempts with just one on target.

    Napoli and Osimhen will be aiming at bouncing back to winning ways on Sunday at Sampdoria in another Italian top flight fixture.

    Napoli still leads the log with 41 points from 16 games, while Juventus are on second position with 37 points, followed by AC Milan with 36 points while Inter Milan presently occupy the fourth position with 34 points.

  • Inter Milan end Napoli’s unbeaten run in Serie A

    Inter Milan end Napoli’s unbeaten run in Serie A

    Edin Dzeko’s thumping header helped Inter Milan edge past Napoli and hand the Serie A leaders their first league defeat of the season.

    Dzeko met Federico Dimarco’s cross to head Inter in front in the 56th minute.

    Inter keeper Andre Onana denied Giacomo Raspadori late on as Napoli’s 11-match winning run in Serie A came to an end.

    Napoli would have gone eight points clear of second-placed AC Milan with a win, while Inter, eight points off the top, moved fourth with their victory.

  • UCL: Liverpool end Napoli’s 13 games winning streak in a thrilling encounter

    UCL: Liverpool end Napoli’s 13 games winning streak in a thrilling encounter

    Liverpool have ended Napoli’s unbeaten record in all competition this season by inflicting their first loss of the season. Liverpool snatched a 2-0 win win at Anfield with two late goals.

    Having won five straight games already, Napoli were aiming to set a record of winning all their games in the group stage when they threw in all their best legs in the encounter but their opponent have other ideas.

    It was a game of few clear-cut chances that  ultimately settled by Mohamed Salah, turning home after a Darwin Núñez effort had come within millimetres of crossing the line. The Uruguayan, Darwin Nunez then came in and scored on the death to give Liverpool their fifth straight win of the campaign.

    Neither side had a great deal to play for — Napoli merely needed to avoid a four-goal defeat in order to hang on to top spot, while Liverpool had no real prospects of overturning them. But despite what the scoreline may suggest, it was a fiercely-contested affair.

    After scoring his first hattrick for Napoli over the weekend, Red hot Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen wasn’t given a breathing space and marked out in the game by the defensive duo of Virgil Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.

    Meanwhile, the Seria A table toppers still finished  top of the group with 15 points while Liverpool came with same points but on   goal difference.

  • UCL: Klopp tips Napoli to reach Champions League final

    UCL: Klopp tips Napoli to reach Champions League final

    Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp has predicted that Italian clubside, Napoli will reach the final of the UEFA Champions League this season.

    The Liverpool gaffer, added that the Club from Naples are doing exceedingly well this season, saying they are a club to beat.

    The German spoke at his pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League group stage match-day six tie with Napoli on Tuesday night at Anfield.

    “It is a pretty quick turnaround since Leeds, so I am not fully aware of the situation with the players,” said Klopp.

    “It’s not a game for rotation, probably. We want to win the game, but the result at the moment is not really important.

    “I have to make the lineup later today, maybe tomorrow morning, and we will go from there.

    “Yes, if they continue to play like this, they can go to the final. They are the in-form team in Europe.

    “Did they copy our style? No, [their manager Luciano] Spalletti is a very experienced coach.”

  • Osimhen scores first hattrick for Napoli, now joint top scorer in Serie A

    Osimhen scores first hattrick for Napoli, now joint top scorer in Serie A

    Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen is currently topping the scorers’ chart in the Serie A after notching his first hat trick for Napoli in a competitive game.

    The lanky striker scored three goals as his team extended their unbeaten run this season with a 4-0 win in the Serie A fixture staged at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Saturday.

    The in-form Super Eagle striker was in the right place to convert his first of the day after latching on to a pass from teammate  Khvicha Kvaratskhelia inside four minutes.

    The 23-year-old came close on several occasions and his zeal was rewarded in the 20th minute when the duo combined once again for the Nigerian’s second goal of the day.

    Osimhen again latched on to a loose ball on the 77th minute to chip home his third goal of the day and his first hattrick for Napoli.

    Marko Arnautovic of Bologna and Osimhen now joint top scorers in the Serie A with seven goals a piece.

  • Napoli dismiss links to Ronaldo, rule out sales in January

    Napoli dismiss links to Ronaldo, rule out sales in January

    Napoli have dismissed the idea they could offer Cristiano Ronaldo refuge in January as the Italian Serie A leaders insist they “don’t have to fix anything.”

    Sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli indicated the prospect of any major incomings or outgoings was remote, given Napoli are confident they have a strong group with the right balance.

    He added that to “fly with the fantasy” would not be Napoli’s style this season, as they seek a first Scudetto since the 1989/1990 season.

    That season included when Diego Maradona was at the club.

    Ronaldo could leave Manchester United in mid-season if a deal can be found that suits all parties.

    His refusal to play as a substitute and early exit from the stadium last week against Tottenham led to Manchester United briefly banishing him from first-team duties.

    The 37-year-old has since returned to the squad and looked set to play some part on Thursday against Sheriff in the UEFA Europa League competition.

    However, Ronaldo’s former team Sporting Lisbon have ruled out a move for the Portuguese.

    Now Napoli, having been linked with Ronaldo in the last transfer window, are distancing themselves from a possible deal for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

    Giuntoli said: “We are very far from the market. At the moment we are thinking only of everyday life, trying to improve continuously.”

    Regarding Ronaldo, he said: “The January transfer market is one of repair and we don’t have to fix anything, so I really think we won’t do anything.”

    That stance covers how Napoli are thinking regarding their exciting, young Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, as well as striker Victor Osimhen.

    Both have admirers in the English Premier League (EPL), but Napoli are not minded to sell, at least for now.

    Luciano Spalletti’s team head Serie A with 29 points from 11 games, and they have also won five out of five UEFA Champions League group games, beating Rangers 3-0 on Wednesday.

    Giuntoli said: “Kvaratskhelia is doing well, like many others, and is absolutely non-transferable.”

    According to Giuntoli, club president Aurelio De Laurentiis is firmly behind the football staff’s plans for shaping the team to deliver success.

    “The president is very happy with what we are doing, and like all of us he keeps his feet on the ground,” Giuntoli said.

    “Football is made up of balance, we must not fly with the fantasy. We are curious to discover our limits.

    “Our prerogative has always been to make moves using our heads, both outgoing and incoming, and I think that, sometimes more, sometimes less, we have always managed to set up a competitive team.

    “We do nothing without first having heard (from) the coach.”

  • Osimhen strikes as Napoli return to top of Serie A

    Osimhen strikes as Napoli return to top of Serie A

    Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen scores as Napoli came from behind to beat Bologna and return to the top of Serie A.

    Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee opened the scoring in the 41st minute when he received a pass from Andrea Cambiaso inside the box and fired into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

    Juan Jesus equalised just before half-time, with Hirving Lozano putting the hosts ahead in the 49th minute.

    Musa Barrow’s long-range shot made it 2-2, but Victor Osimhen got Napoli’s winner, lifting a finish in the net.

    Napoli, aiming to become Italian champions for the first time since 1990, have 10 wins in a row in all competitions and are on 26 points, two ahead of Atalanta, who beat Sassuolo 2-1 on Saturday.

    Elsewhere, goals by striker Lautaro Martinez and midfielder Nicolo Barella helped Inter Milan to a comfortable 2-0 home win over Salernitana.

    Inter, last season’s runners-up, are seventh in the standings, eight points behind Napoli.

    Lazio are third, five points off Napoli, after they extended their unbeaten run to six games in all competitions with a goalless draw against Udinese.