SERIE A

Osimhen propels Napoli’s rapid goal blitz gives them a 4-2 win at Monza

Published

4 months ago

April 7, 2024

Osimhen And Lewandowksi Trade Goals As Napoli Draw 1-1 At Barcelona In 1st Leg Of CL Last 16 -

Napoli scored three goals within six second-half minutes as they clinched a 4-2 victory at Monza on Sunday to keep alive their slim hopes of a top-four finish in Serie A.

The defending champions are seventh in the table with 48 points, 10 points behind fourth-placed Bologna, who played out a goalless draw at Frosinone earlier on Sunday. Monza are 11th with 42 points.

Napoli still find themselves in a challenging position in the table, trailing both AS Roma and Atalanta who sit in fifth and sixth place with 55 and 50 points respectively. Atalanta have two matches in hand before their clash at Cagliari later on Sunday.

Coach Francesco Calzona preferred not to discuss how the season could end for Napoli.

“We are forced to take it one game at a time because it doesn’t only depend on us,” he told DAZN.

“We have to keep winning and maintain some hope of finishing in the top spots. If we play like the second half, we can have hope but not if we play like we did in the first half.”

Calzona said he had had a serious talk with the players during the break

“During halftime we talk, we discuss the problems, try to resolve them. The lads got the message but it’s not just today, I’ve been saying this for a long time.”

STUNNING GOALS

Milan Duric nodded in the opening goal for Monza nine minutes into the match, outmanoeuvring Napoli’s Juan Jesus to connect with a cross.

While Napoli focused on achieving an equaliser, Monza goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio performed admirably to maintain his side’s advantage going into the break.

The second half was frenzied, with five goals coming in 13 minutes at the sunny Stadio Brianteo.

Napoli began their comeback 10 minutes into the second half, when Victor Osimhen rose so high to nod in the equaliser that he landed on his face, requiring a brief moment of treatment before continuing.

Two minutes later, Matteo Politano unleashed a perfectly executed left-footed volley from outside the box, finding the far right corner and leaving the stadium stunned by the display.

With Monza in disarray, Napoli secured their third goal in the 61st minute, when Piotr Zielinski unleashed a shot from distance that struck the underside of the bar and found the net.

Andrea Colpani demonstrated that Monza could also produce impressive goals by curling a shot into the corner a minute later to keep alive the home fans’ hopes.

Giacomo Raspadori scored Napoli’s fourth goal after 68 minutes, less than a minute after being substituted, by sending in the rebound from a save by Di Gregorio.

“They were spectacular goals but I like to underline Raspadori’s goal because he believed to the end,” Calzona said.

“Strikers must have that instinct to attack the goal even when it seems unlikely that the ball will come to him.”

-Reuters

SERIE A

Ademola Lookman wins Atalanta’s ‘Player of The Season Award

Published

4 weeks ago

June 27, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Nigeria’s Super Eagles winger and silver medal winner with the country at the last AFCON 2023 tournament in Cote D’Ivoire, Ademola Lookman, has emerged as the Atalanta Player of the Season.

The pint-size forward has won the converted award Back-to-back with the Bergamo-based side after his exploit in the domestic and European matches for the side.

Atalanta qualified for two finals with the Nigerian International playing an active role in the campaign.

He was instrumental to Atalanta winning the UEFA Europa League beating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the final with the Nigerian scoring all the goals.

The club announced on its official website on Thursday saying, “It’s him again, Ademola Lookman! The reigning champion defends his title and is crowned straight-a student for the second year in a row after staving off an unsparing competition, to the point of both bringing the contest to an overtime runoff and stepping the pose down up to the Instagram profile after the regular session ended in a tie. Kudos to Mola for his back-to-back Player of the Season!” it noted.
It went further that,” building on his 17 goals and 11 key passes in all competitions (making him the team’s second-best seasonal scorer and wingman) and with the hat-trick scored in the magical Dublin final as his main leg-up, Lookman tips the ItalianOptic branded crown once again,” the web remarked.

Aside from Ademola, the second and third-best positions were also announced as the midfield duo of Jose dos Santo Éderson and Teun Koopmeiners.

The Nigerian had a brilliant AFCON experience with Nigeria where he scored three goals and his exploits so far have put him in strong contention to win the next ‘African Footballer of the Year’ award which will come up before the end of the year at a venue yet to be announced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen is the reigning winner of the award alongside Asissat Oshoola who retained the version.

SERIE A

Napoli reduces Victor Osimhen’s value

Published

1 month ago

June 24, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Former Serie A champions Napoli are reportedly ready to drop their asking price for Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen as his future grows ever more uncertain.

The 25-year-old is looking for a move away from Serie A but Napoli’s initial €150M release clause has warned off any potential suitors.

Quoting from another Italian outlet, Calciomercato, Getfootballnewsitaly reports that Napoli are ready to lower the initial valuation to €100M, in the hope that they can free up much needed transfer funds for new boss Antonio Conte, who is understood to be desperate to land Belgian international striker Romelu Lukaku this summer.

It is also stated that the English Premier League sides, Chelsea who were understood to be in pole-position to sign the Nigerian international, has never opened any negotiation with the 2023 Serie A champions.

The only avenues open at this time seem to be the Saudi Pro-League, where a reported salary of €40M a season has been offered, or Paris Saint-Germain, with Osimhen not keen on either option, preferring a move to the English Premier League.

SERIE A

Osimhen’s Napoli European hopes end with 0-0 draw against Lecce

Published

2 months ago

May 27, 2024

Kunle Solaja

If Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen remains in Napoli in the next season, he will not have any action in UEFA competitions.

Napoli lost their slim chances to participate in European competitions next season when they were held to a 0-0 home draw by Lecce in their last Serie A game of the campaign on Sunday.

Last season’s champions Napoli finished 10th on 53 points, level with ninth-placed Torino who were beaten 3-0 at Atalanta in a simultaneous kick off on Sunday.

Despite their loss, Torino can now still earn a Europa Conference League playoffs spot if eighth-placed Fiorentina, who have a game in hand, win the Europa Conference League.

Fiorentina face Greece’s Olympiacos for the title on Wednesday.

Napoli needed a win to maintain their European hopes but despite 24 shots, five of them on target, they ended their disappointing campaign winless in their last seven games.

Substitute Cyril Ngonge had a good chance to give Napoli the lead just after the break but his shot from the edge of the box was saved by Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone.

Jens Cajuste hit the far post with a low strike shortly before Ngonge hit the bar in the 64th minute.

Europa League winners Atalanta, meanwhile, secured at least fourth spot after Gianluca Scamacca, Ademola Lookman and Mario Pasalic were all on target in a 3-0 win against Torino.

They sit fourth on 69 points but can still leapfrog third-placed Juventus, on 71 points, if they beat Fiorentina in their last remaining game next Sunday.

-Reuters