Bologna 0-0 Napoli: Champions held to goalless draw after Victor Osimhen misses penalty

Victor Osimhen missed a penalty as Napoli were held to a goalless draw at Bologna in Serie A.

The league champions once more looked a pale imitation of their 2022/23 side, but were handed a lifeline when a penalty was awarded for the ball striking the arm of falling defender Riccard Calafiori with 20 minutes to go.

Osimhen took the responsibility, but though he sent Lukasz Skorupski the wrong way from the spot, his effort was a good yard or so wide of the target.

The Nigerian striker also came closest in the first half when his 10th minute effort got the slightest of deflections off the Bologna goalkeeper before coming back off the post.

The result sees Napoli lying seventh in the table, seven points adrift of leaders Inter Milan. Bologna are a point behind Napoli in 11th.

Rudi Garcia had a poisoned chalice taking over from Luciano Spaletti and the pressure will only continue to mount on him after Napoli went three matches without a win for the first time in 18 months.

The indomitable machine of last year is no more but he is certainly not being helped with his star players, as Osimhen has now failed to score in five games and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia looks far short of the form which saw him awarded Serie A’s Most Valuable Player last term. They are not helped by the form of Inter, who have the knack at present of eking results out in difficult circumstances which the Neapolitan side had last season.

They face struggling Udinese at home on Wednesday before travelling to surprise high-fliers Lecce next weekend. The clouds around the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium will only grow thicker if they do not get positive results from these games.

It gives a bit of a false impression Skorupski getting this award, as Napoli certainly did not lay siege on the Bologna goal for 90 minutes, but his presence was key in getting the home side through some shaky moments – especially in the first half. His feathery touch managed to divert Osimhen’s shot onto the post in the first half and he was down smartly to deny Kvaratskhelia at his near post in the second.

Bologna: Skorupski8*; Posch 6, Beukema 6, Lucumì 6, Kristiansen 6; Aebischer 6, Freuler 6; Ndoye 6, Ferguson 7, Karlsson 6; Zirkzee 7.

Subs: El Azzouzi 6, Calafiori 5, Silvestri 6, Orsolini 6, Saelemaekers 6.

Napoli: Meret 6; Di Lorenzo 6, Ostigard 7, Natan 6, Olivera 6; Anguissa 7, Lobotka 6, Zielinski 6; Raspadori 7, Osimhen 6, Kvaratskhelia 6.

Subs: Cajuste 6, Rui 6, Elmas 6, Politano 6, Simeone 6.

5′ OSIMHEN HITS THE POST! Raspidori sets up the Napoli spearhead but his effort hits the post and then Kvaratskhelia fails to convert the rebound. Skorupski may have got a slight touch on Osimhen’s shot.

60′ GOOD STOP FROM SKORUPSKI! Kvaratskhelia shoots from the left hand side of the area but the keeper parries away and then the follow up from the Georgian is cleared over his own bar by Aebischer.

70′ BIG APPEAL FOR PENALTY FROM OSIMHEN! And the referee points to the spot. Kvaratskhelia drove along the by-line and put in a low cross which deflected off the keeper then hit the arm of the falling Calafiori.

72′ PENALTY MISSED! Osimhen sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot but sent the ball wide of the target.

74′ ZIRKZEE POWERS A SHOT FROM NARROW ANGLE! And it was not too far away from deflecting in off the hands of Meret at the near post.

• 5 – Osimhen is now five games without a goal for Napoli.