UCL: Osimhen fires brace as Napoli seal historic quarter-final spot
Victor Osimhen bagged a brace, including a towering header, before Piotr Zielinski converted a penalty to complete Napoli’s historic 5-0 aggregate thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
It is also the first time since 2005-06 that three Italian teams are in the final eight.
Our final sub of the night
↩️ @victorosimhen9 ✈️
↪️ @simeonegiovanni81 | #NapoliEintracht 3-0
💙 #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/75A0iBa7GI— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) March 15, 2023
The Partenopei won the first leg 2-0 in Germany thanks to Victor Osimhen and Giovanni Di Lorenzo goals, despite Kvicha Kvaratskhelia seeing a penalty parried. Randal Kolo Muani was suspended, with Jesper Lindstrom and Giacomo Raspadori injured.
The build-up was overshadowed by violent clashes between Eintracht fans and local police, aided by Atalanta ultras, as circa 600 defied a ban on away supporters attending.
GAME OVER! A MAGICAL EUROPEAN NIGHT ✨
90+2 | #NapoliEintracht 3-0
💙 #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/mPEPYd4KtA— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) March 15, 2023
Matteo Politano forced a low save from Kevin Trapp in the opening 80 seconds, while Rafael Borre’s header drifted wide and Kvaratskhelia went on a strong run to test the goalkeeper from a tight angle.
Alex Meret rushed out to anticipate Mario Gotze on an inspired Daichi Kamada through ball, while Trapp also had to be alert to get something on Kvaratskhelia’s effort when sent clear by Piotr Zielinski.
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Deep into first half stoppages, Napoli found the breakthrough when Politano floated in a cross from the right and Osimhen took off for a towering header into the top corner.
Kim Min-jae surged forward from midfield to steal the ball and hit the side-netting in a surprise foray, but it was Osimhen who doubled his tally when Giovanni Di Lorenzo rolled across from the right for the sliding finish. He became the first Nigerian to score two goals in a Champions League knockout tie.
Napoli kept pushing, Kvaratskhelia’s low strike denied by a one-handed Trapp save, then Zielinski was tripped by Sow for a penalty, which he also converted straight down the middle.
Alex Meret made sure they kept a clean sheet, ensuring all three Italian clubs did not concede a single goal in the Round of 16.