How Osimhen Powered Napoli to First Scudetto in 33 Years

Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report

Victor Osimhen scored his 22nd Italian Serie A goal as Napoli drew 1-1 with Udinese on Thursday night to win their third Scudetto title . 

It is the first league crown for the Naples-based club in 33 years since the era of legendary Argentine football great, Diego Armando Maradona in 1990. 

They won their first league title two years earlier with Maradona leading the charge in 1986/87 season.

And it was only apt that it will be Napoli’s most influential star player this season who will deliver the decisive equaliser. 

Osimhen, 24,  fired an unstoppable shot from inside the box off a rebound for his 22nd goal in Serie A this term.

Napoli needed to avoid defeat against Udinese last night to hit an unassailable 80 points with five rounds of matches to the end of the season.

They were deserved winners of the Serie A with the best attack, best defence and playing the best football.

Interestingly, this crowning which was delayed twice since last Sunday and Wednesday, caused a sold-out Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples to  erupt  into a huge party some 850 kilometres away from Udine.

Napoli could have sealed the title at home on Sunday but conceded a late equaliser to Salernitana to extend the wait four more days. They went into Thursday’s game knowing a point would be enough, even after nearest challengers Lazio beat Sassuolo a day earlier.

Besides the 11,000 Napoli fans inside and 5,000 more outside the stadium in Udine in northern Italy, a capacity crowd of more than 50,000 watched the match on jumbo screens at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples.

For Osimhen, it is a dream come true, winning his first major honour since arriving in Europe seven years ago. He thus tied the legendary George Weah’s all-time highest tally of 46 Serie A goals by an African player. Weah reached this milestone in 74 appearances.

The Super Eagles forward still have the chance to make more history as the first African to be crowned Goal King of Serie A with five more matches to end the league season.