Udinese 1-1 Napoli: Victor Osimhen goal clinches Serie A title, ends 33-year wait for Partenopei

Napoli are Serie A champions for the first time in 33 years following a 1-1 draw at Udinese, with Victor Osimhen scoring the goal which gives them an insurmountable lead over Lazio.

Napoli needed just a point to secure a third Scudetto, but trailed at the break to Sandi Lovric’s goal – a fine, curling strike which nestled in the top corner after he was allowed space in the visitors’ box.

An Osimhen header which looped narrowly wide was the closest Napoli came to scoring in a disjointed first half.

However they appeared reinvigorated after the break and drew level on 52 minutes when Osimhen slotted home the rebound from a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia shot. There could not have been two more fitting players involved in the decisive goal.

An estimated 11,000 Napoli fans made the trip Dacia Arena and were buoyant for the rest of the match as their team pressed for a winner, which almost came via a Piotr Zielinski volley.

Thousands more watched on big screens at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples – a venue now named after the club’s talisman who helped them win their only previous Serie A titles.

Five more rounds of matches remain in Serie A, but Napoli are up to 80 points and guaranteed to finish the season as champions. Udinese move up to 12th with 43 points.

TALKING POINT – Napoli have done it

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Victor Osimhen (Napoli)

In the first half when Napoli were struggling, Osimhen continued to ask questions of the Udinese defence. Then once Napoli were playing well, it was Osimhen who came through with the clutch goal – his league-leading 22nd of the season.

A big-time performance from a big-time player to write his name into Napoli folklore.

PLAYER RATINGS

Udinese: Silvestri 6, Becao 7, Bijol 6, Perez 6, Ehizibue 6, Samardzic 6, Walace 7, Lovric 7, Udogie 7, Pereyra 5, Nestrovski 5. Subs: Zeegelaar 5, Arslan 5, Thauvin n/a, Ebosele n/a.

Napoli: Meret 6, Di Lorenzo 6, Rrahmani 6, Kim 7, Olivera 6, Anguissa 6, Lobotka 5, Ndombele 5, Elmas 5, Kvaratskhelia 7, Osimhen 8. Subs: Zielinski 7, Lozano n/a.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

UDINESE OPEN THE SCORING 13′ – This was not in the Napoli script! Lovric finds a pocket of space in the Napoli box, Udogie feeds him the ball and Lovric curls a super shot into the top corner.

OSIMHEN HEADS JUST WIDE 32′ – Osimhen rises highest to head a looping cross goalwards, but his effort floats narrowly wide.

OSIMHEN PUTS NAPOLI LEVEL 52′ – Udinese cannot clear their lines from yet another corner, Kvaratskhelia shoots low from the edge of the box and produces a good save but the ball falls to Osimhen and he side-foots home. A mammoth goal which means Napoli will win Serie A as things stand.

NAPOLI COME CLOSE TO A SECOND 67′ – Kvaratskhelia creates space to cross and Elmas almost meets it – but instead is penalised for a high boot. Osimhen puts the ball in the net after Napoli keep the chance alive, but the whistle had already gone.

SILVESTRI DENIES ZIELINSKI 71′ – Zielinski makes a clever run behind the defence, is picked out by Kvaratskhelia and volleys at goal – but Silvestri parries the ball away.

KEY STAT

Not a single player in the Napoli squad had been born when the club last won Serie A.