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Anthony Nlebem.
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen scored a decisive goal for Napoli in their 1-0 win over Jose Mourinho’s Roma side.
The 23-year-old Nigerian international has now scored three goals for the Parthenopeans since his return from injury.
Osimhen scored a goal in Napoli’s 4-2 home win over Ajax in the Champions League and found the back of the net in Napoli’s 3-1 win over Bologna last Sunday, October, 16.
The former Lille star who joined the Serie A side on a record fee worth €80million in 2020 has registered three league goals with one assist in six appearances for Napoli this season.
The win made it 11 wins for Napoli on the bounce and moved three points clear at the top of the Serie A table after a moment of magic finally broke down a resilient Roma.
The Partenopei were the form team in Europe right now on a run of 10 consecutive victories in all competitions, but while Amir Rrahmani and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa were injured, Osimhen made his first start since September 7.
The Giallorossi missed Paulo Dybala, Nicola Zalewski, Marash Kumbulla, Zeki Celik, Georginio Wijnaldum and Ebrima Darboe.
Chris Smalling risked an early own goal with a shinned interception and Nicolò Zaniolo curled over the bar, while Rui Patricio smothered a Piotr Zielinski daisy-cutter.
Hirving Lozano’s acrobatic volley at the back post could only find the side-netting, but there was controversy at 38 minutes when the referee pointed to the spot. Tanguy Ndombele went down in a one-on-one with Rui Patricio, but it was revoked after a VAR review because the goalkeeper got a good hand to the ball first.
After the restart, Rui Patricio flew to fingertip a Lozano strike over the bar, then Smalling flung himself in the way of a Kvicha Kvaratskhelia strike inside the box.
Napoli started to turn up the pressure, Smalling making a decisive block on Lozano at the near post after Zielinski knocked back Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s cross, then on the resulting corner Juan Jesus shinned wide from 12 yards.
There were chances at either end in 30 seconds, as first Zaniolo pulled back from the by-line for Alex Meret to get a hand to it and Zielinski made the crucial block on Camara, then on the counter, Osimhen’s angled drive flashed inches wide.