Nigerian Football

Free-scoring Osimhen takes Serie A leaders Napoli 18 points clear with 2-0 win at Sassuolo

Published

2 years ago

February 18, 2023

Consistent Victor Osimhen was again on the score sheet as Napoli beat Sassuolo 2-0 away to move 18 points clear at the top with a seventh straight Serie A win thanks to first-half goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen on Friday.

Napoli have 62 points from 23 games ahead of second-placed Inter Milan, who host mid-table Udinese on Saturday, and are moving closer to ending a 33-year wait for the league title.

“We won the last few games (before Friday’s win), but there was less quality,” Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti told DAZN.

“Tonight, on the other hand, in possession, in phase management, in being a team in all things, I felt we were superior to the last games and I can classify that as a great performance.”

Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring in the 12th minute after taking possession in midfield and firing the ball into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box.

The 22-year-old Georgian, nicknamed Kvaradona, continues to impress this season with 10 goals and nine assists in Serie A. He is now fourth in the scoring charts and has the most assists.

Sassuolo’s Armand Lauriente almost equalised two minutes later but his shot from inside the box hit the post.

Osimhen doubled Napoli’s lead after 33 minutes when the Nigeria striker beat Sassuolo keeper Andrea Consigli from an acute angle, taking the Serie A top scorer to 18 goals.

He also became the first Napoli player to score in seven league matches in a row since the three points for a win rule was introduced in the 1994-95 season

Sassuolo thought they had cut the deficit just before the end of the first-half but Lauriente’s effort was ruled out by VAR for an offside.

“In my opinion we suffered a couple of times because Sassuolo are well coached and play good football, so you can’t have 90 minutes of supremacy and sometimes you have to suffer,” added Spalletti.

“We are living a good moment, but nobody has the presumption to go softer and these are important signals for the future.”

Giovanni Simeone headed home for Napoli late on but his celebrations were cut short after being ruled offside by VAR.

Sassuolo remain in 15th place with 24 points.

-Reuters

Nigerian Football

Rivers flow to the top!

Published

5 hours ago

October 6, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.

It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.

Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85^th minute.

Sunday Results

Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
Rivers United 1-1 Akwa United
Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United

Nigerian Football

Enyimba’s duel with Katsina United plunges into darkness

Published

5 hours ago

October 6, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Former Nigerian champions, Enyimba were coasting to a comfortable 3-0 lead before the game got enveloped by darkness.

The game could not be completed after 75 minutes when the floodlights of the arena suddenly went off.

According to a post on Enymba x-handle, the match will resume at 8.00 am on Monday “ as agreed by both teams and the match officials.”

Sunday Results

Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
Rivers United 1-1 Akwa United
Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United

Nigerian Football

Amuneke’s Heartland secures first win this season

Published

5 hours ago

October 6, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Heartland finally got into winning ways on Sunday after the Owerri side secured a 2-0 win over Niger Tornadoes.

The club, under former Super Eagles’ assistant coach, Emmanuel Amuneke had gone four matches without a win, finding themselves swimming in the murky waters of relegation.

A brace by Michael Ogu has lifted the club which climbed up to the 16^th position. They had begun the season badly losing at home to Enyimba and failing to win any of the subsequent three matches.

Sunday Results