Osimhen penalty earns champion-elect, Napoli 1-0 win over Fiorentina

Osimhen penalty earns champion-elect, Napoli 1-0 win over Fiorentina

By Admin

Newly-crowned champions Napoli secured a 1-0 win over Fiorentina in Serie A on Sunday when the league’s top scorer Victor Osimhen scored from the spot at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

Fiorentina welcomed Napoli with the traditional guard of honour after the southern side returned home from wrapping up their first league title in 33 years with a 1-1 draw at Udinese on Thursday which put them out of reach of their rivals for the Scudetto.

Fiorentina’s courtesy, however, ended there and the visitors pushed for an opener from the word go with striker Luka Jovic coming close to scoring twice inside the first 20 minutes.

Striker Osimhen could have put a relaxed Napoli in front from the spot three minutes into the second half but Fiorentina keeper Pietro Terracciano saved his weak shot after the penalty was awarded for Sofyan Amrabat’s foul on Stanislav Lobotka.

Osimhen came close to contributing to the fans’ ongoing party in the stands with a shot 15 minutes later when he lobbed Terracciano with a well-measured effort but the ball hit the bar and ricocheted away.

The Nigerian striker eventually redeemed himself when winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia won another penalty for Napoli in the 74th minute and Osimhen put the ball past Terracciano with a much stronger shot.

It was the 47th goal in Serie A for the 24-year-old, putting him past George Weah as the top African scorer in the league’s history.

The goal sparked life back into Luciano Spalletti’s side and a determined Fiorentina could find no way of spoiling Napoli’s celebration night which continued with live music and speeches at their home ground.

Fiorentina, who play FC Basel in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final on Thursday, have little chance now to climb above their eighth spot in the standings.

They are on 46 points, 12 points behind AS Roma in seventh and Atalanta in sixth with four games left.

-Sportsvillagesquare