Napoli clinched their first Serie A title in 33 years, thanks to Victor Osimhen’s goal that secured a 1-1 draw against Udinese on Thursday.
Osimhen’s 22nd league goal of the season canceled out Sandi Lovric’s opener, and it was enough to secure Napoli’s third Scudetto, a feat not achieved since the Diego Maradona era.
Having failed to clinch the title in front of their fans on Sunday, Napoli knew that a point was enough to secure the trophy.
Osimhen, Napoli’s talisman, was determined to help his team make history and snap a three-game scoreless streak in Serie A. The Super Eagles striker forced a save from Marco Silvestri early on, and his partner in crime, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, had a penalty appeal turned down following a VAR review.
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However, Udinese took the lead in the 13th minute through Lovric, whose stunning finish beat Napoli’s goalkeeper Alex Meret. The goal dampened Napoli’s traveling fans’ enthusiasm, but they continued to make noise in the hope of inspiring their team to victory.
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Osimhen came close to equalising with a header just after the half-hour mark, but Napoli was fortunate that Lovric did not score a second goal for Udinese a few moments earlier. Napoli’s number nine continued to press for the equalizer, and he finally got it seven minutes into the second half after Silvestri palmed out Kvaratskhelia’s low effort.
Osimhen thought he had scored his second of the night with 23 minutes remaining, but the goal was disallowed due to a foul in the build-up. Napoli’s coach, Luciano Spalletti, was tense on the touchline, but his team remained calm on the pitch, seeing out the draw that would go down in history.
The result means Napoli can finally celebrate a long-awaited Scudetto, a triumph for the club and their fans. Osimhen’s contribution to the title-winning campaign was significant, and his goal in the decisive match will be remembered for years to come.
