Victor Osimhen scored in his first Napoli debut since November and helped his team to a 2-0 win in Venezia on Sunday, which takes them one point behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan.
Nigeria striker Osimhen had made two brief substitute appearances at Inter after fracturing his facial bones due to a head injury, and jumped to Napoli just before the hour mark at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo as the coach to pick him up. Luciano Spalletti’s decision rewarded.
Andrea Petagna sealed the point extended in the 100th minute of the match due to a head-on conflict between the referee and Venezia’s Tyrone Ebuhi, as well as a late red card from the same player for a terrible foul on Dries Mertens.
“I prepared well for this game, had a great week and was ready to kick from the first minute,” Osimhen told DAZN.
“And of course with a goal to start with, I’m really happy with this performance from the whole team.”
Wearing a special face mask he described as “good looking for me”, Osimhene’s sixth Serie A goal of the season – his first since mid-October – drove Napoli back into a three-way league title fight. .
Napoli, with AC Milan second on 52 points, broke the scudetto race as Olivier Giroud’s derby double saw Inter on Saturday.
Like Milan, Napoli have played one game more than Inter, but they host the champions next weekend before traveling to Barcelona for the first leg of their Europa League play-off with the Catalan giants.
“We have a lot of objectives this season and Scudetto is one of them, so step by step and with determination I think we will get there,” Osimhen said.
Osimhene could have had one more as he hit the post in the first half, but Napoli had to make his way past Venezia, who are in the relegation zone after a loss and Cagliari’s 2-man in the first 10-man Atalanta on Sunday. 1 win was recorded.
Pereiro picks up Cagliari
Gaston Pereiro gave Walter Mazari’s Cagliari their third win in five league matches, two points ahead of Venezia in 17th place.
The 26-year-old gave Cagliari a surprise lead four minutes after half-time in Bergamo, and was crucial for Atalanta when he was brought down moments later by goalkeeper Juan Musso.
Fourth-placed Atalanta, who will be out of Champions League position if Juventus beat Verona on Sunday night, pulled level in the 64th minute via Jose Luis Palomino.
However, the expected home fans were silenced again four minutes later when Pereiro drove the winner home from Raul Bellanova’s low cross.
“We played badly, and never really bothered Cagliari,” said Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
“We need to get our heads back and focus on being a team, because that performance was not good enough.”
Atalanta have a game on their hands, but they also have a battle on their hands to keep Champions League football after looking like first title contenders.
They host Juve next weekend and would have to do without Duvan Zapata for that match and with their Italian Cup tie with Fiorentina, Colombia just 14 minutes off the bench for their first appearance of 2022. carried forward later.
Sampdoria took advantage of 18th-placed Venezia’s loss to beat Sassuolo 4–0 and advance three to five points from the bottom.
Marco Giampaolo’s sump won thanks to two surprise volleys from Francesco Caputo and Andrea Conti, a goal from Stefano Censi after Inter and Antonio Candreva were on loan from late penalties.
In the second match of the afternoon, Bologna and Empoli played out a goalless draw.
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