Osimhen nets brace as Napoli boost CL hopes; Inter thrash Sampdoria
MILAN: Victor Osimhen’s latest impressive display saw him score two and set up another to help Napoli crush relegation-threatened Spezia 4-1 in Serie A and boost their Champions League hopes on Saturday.
Both of Osimhen’s goals came in the first half ater Piotr Zieliński’s opener. Roberto Piccoli pulled one back for Spezia but Hirving Lozano restored Napoli’s three-goal advantage.
Napoli moved into second, a point above Atalanta, Juventus and AC Milan. Another rival for a top four finish and a Champions League place, Lazio, visited Fiorentina later.
Spezia also desperately needed the win as it was only three points above the relegation zone, but Napoli look the lead in the 15th minute when Zieliński was let unmarked to tap in Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s cross.
Zieliński then turned provider seven minutes later, sending Osimhen clear to finish off a counteratack.
Osimhen chested down a Lorenzo Insigne free kick and volleyed it in on the stroke of haltime for his second of the match and sixth goal in as many matches.
In the 64th, Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret only parried an Nahuel Estévez header and Piccoli bundled in the rebound for Spezia.
Napoli’s fourth goal was initially disallowed but replays showed Osimhen was onside when he started his run from near the middle of the pitch before rolling across for Lozano to tap in.
Inter Milan fans celebrated their Serie A title before the match against Sampdoria and the players marked the occasion by turning on the style in a 5-1 win.
Inter won its first league title since 2010 last weekend ater Atalanta failed to beat Sassuolo on Sunday.
Thousands of fans celebrated in the streets of Milan then, and they did so again in front of San Siro on Saturday.
Around 3,000 fans were outside the stadium to welcome the Inter team buses. They started gathering a couple of hours before, chanting and singing as they jumped and clapped with litle heed to coronavirus restrictions. Almost all wore masks but many were pulled down below their chins.
They waved flags and banners and lit flares. The Inter players were given a guard of honor by Sampdoria when they went out on to the pitch.
Roberto Gagliardini scored in the fourth minute, Alexis Sánchez added two in the first half, either side of a Keita goal for Samp. Andrea Pinamonti neted his first goal for Inter in the 61st, and Lautaro Martínez added a penalty following a handball by Samp midfielder Adrien Silva.