Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen continued his impressive scoring run on Tuesday, helping Napoli secure a 2-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
Osimhen, who has now scored ten goals in his last eight appearances across all competitions, opened the scoring in the 40th minute following a period of sustained pressure from the visitors.
After hitting the post just moments earlier and with his teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia having a penalty saved, Osimhen remained calm and made no mistake with his finish.
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Frankfurt pushed forward following Kvaratskhelia’s penalty miss, backed by a raucous home crowd, but Hirving Lozano capitalized on the extra space to race down the right wing and provide an easy finish for Osimhen at the back post.
Although they repeated the trick a minute later, the goal was ruled out for offside. Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo doubled their lead in the 65th minute, finishing off a fantastic team move with a sweeping, curled shot inside the far post after Kvaratskhelia back-heeled the ball into his path, set up by André-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s weighted through ball.
Frankfurt’s hopes of staging a comeback were dented after Randal Kolo Muani was sent off for catching Anguissa with his open sole as they both went for the ball. The French forward will be suspended for the second leg in Naples.
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Frankfurt supporters made their feelings known by setting off a large pyrotechnic display before the game, in protest against local authorities over a planned choreography that was not agreed upon due to safety concerns.
With a heavy police presence in and around the stadium, there were nine arrests made the night before the game, as the authorities prepared for a high-risk fixture due to some supporters’ desire for violence.
Napoli supporters were directed to the stadium to keep them away from the home fans, with a buffer zone created around their section to prevent any contact between the rival sets of supporters.
The Italian side, who currently lead Serie A by 15 points, appeared nervous and made some uncharacteristic mistakes in the early stages of the game before Osimhen’s goal settled their nerves.
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