Napoli 4-1 Udinese: Victor Osimhen on target after social media storm as champions end winless run

Victor Osimhen was on target as Napoli returned to winning ways by thrashing Udinese 4-1.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was brought down in the box by Festy Obesele and, after viewing the sideline video, the referee awarded a penalty kick which Piotr Zielinski took and finished with aplomb by sending Marco Silvestri the wrong way.

The lead was made three by Kvaratskhelia, who after twice hitting the post, brilliantly flicked the ball over the Udinese keeper and finished from close range.

Udinese got on the scoreboard with a fantastic individual goal from Lazar Samardzic, which saw him dribble past three players before exchanging a pass with Isaac Success then beat another two opponents and find the back of the net.

The relative closeness of the scoreline only lasted two minutes before Kvaratskhelia set up Napoli substitute Giovanni Simeone to restore the three-goal advantage.

Napoli jump up to fifth in table and with Inter’s defeat are only five points off top spot. Udinese drop to third bottom.

Udinese may have been the perfect opponents for Napoli to play given their early struggles in this campaign, but this was an awesome performance however you look at it.

For maybe the first time this season, they looked like the unstoppable attacking unit they were in the 2022/23 season. Given his agent’s statement earlier in the day, Osimhen is sure to still seek answers with off-field members of the football club – and his muted celebration was a sign of a man with a lot on his mind.

However, it appears he will be able to coexist, and indeed flourish, alongside his team-mates. This will all be for naught if they do not get a positive result at Lecce at the weekend.

But it at least appears Rudi Garcia has a chance to make this into a positive season. Even at the early stage of his tenure, he needed this result. Especially given the off-field drama of the last 24 hours.

There were a number of fine performances from the Napoli attacking players with Matteo Politano irrepressible and Victor Osimhen the indomitable force of last season. It was the Georgian genius who stood taller than everyone though, with his desire to get on the scoresheet manic in the second half.

He was very unlucky with his two efforts which hit the post, especially the second, but his goal was a flash of genius – even if it was shortly overshadowed by Lamar Samardzic’s at the other end.

Napoli: Meret 7; Di Lorenzo 8, Ostigard 7, Natan 7, Mario Rui 7; Anguissa 7, Lobotka 7, Zielinski 8; Politano 8, Osimhen 8, Kvaratskhelia 9*.

Subs: Simeone 7, Lindstrom 6, Cajuste 6, Elmas 6, Raspadori 6.

Udinese: Silvestri 7; Perez 5, Bijol 5, Kristensen 6; Ebosele 5, Payero 6, Walace 5, Lovric 6, Kamara 6; Thauvin 5, Lucca 6.

Subs: Ferreira 6, Success 7, Samardzic 8, Pereyra 6, Zemura 6.

17′ PENALTY CHECK! Ebosele challenged Kvaratskhelia in the box and the Georgian star went down. Now the referee is checking on the sideline video. We know what this usually means….PENALTY GIVEN!

18′ GOAL FOR NAPOLI! Zielinski sends the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot and Napoli are in front.

39′ GOAL FOR NAPOLI! It is an understated celebration from Osimhen. A lovely through ball from Politano found him in the left hand side of the area and Osimhen’s first touch was perfect allowing him to flick the ball past him into the net.

56′ OFF THE POST! A fine ball from Politano from the right flank finds Kvaratskhelia at the back post but his first-time shot cannons off the post.

68′ KVARATSKHELIA HITS THE OTHER POST! This one was a howitzer from the edge of the box which Silvestri, having no chance with the original shot, had to jump out of the way from the rebound to avoid scoring an own goal.

74′ GOAL FOR NAPOLI! And a fantastic one and Kvaratskhelia is finally on the scoresheet. He robbed Bijol and then ran through on goal, Silvestri came out and he flicked the ball over the keeper and then tapped into the net.

80′ GOAL FOR UDINESE! A fantastic goal from Samardzic. He dribbled towards the box, exchanged passes with Success, then beat another two mean and shot home.

82′ GOAL FOR NAPOLI! The three-goal lead is immediately restored. Kvaratskhelia dribbled to the by-line and then drilled a cross to the back post where Simeone headed home.

• 14 – Kvaratskhelia broke a 14-game drought.