September 24, (THEWILL) – It came as no surprise that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen was named in the Italian Serie A Team of the Week following Thursday’s outstanding performance in Napoli’s 4-0 trouncing of Sampdoria with the Super Eagles’ forward registering two goals to his name.
Osimhen headlined an impressive six Napoli players included in the ceremonial eleven for game week five, as Luciano Spalletti’s charges reclaimed top spot on the table. Others who made the listing included goalkeeper David Ospina, left-back Mario Rui, midfielders Fabian Ruiz, Piotr Zielinski and Lorenzo Insigne.
In pre-match comments, Sampdoria and Italy striker Ciccio Caputo praised Osimhen’s abilities acknowledging the mental strength of the 22-year-old as the Nigerian regained his groove after a disappointing start to the season, when he was red carded in Napoli’s opening Serie A game of the season, as THEWILL reported.
Impressed by the swift return of Osimhen to reckoning, Caputo, who revealed before Thursday’s game clash why the Nigerian international is a different breed, said: “Osimhen is physically and mentally strong, he knows how to attack space. You can’t leave him alone, because he will punish you.”
Caputo’s teammates in the defense were not on the same page with their striker and the Super Eagles forward, who moved to Napoli from Ligue 1 side Lille, indeed punished Sampdoria twice with the first and third goals of the 4-nil triumph.
Beside meriting his inclusion in the team of the week, so far this season, Osimhen has scored five goals in his last three games for the Neapolitans. He opened his account for the season with a brace that helped Napoli come back from two goals down in their Europa League clash against Leicester City.
He continued with another goal against Udinese on Monday night. And on Thursday evening, he scored a brace to help Napoli to a 4-0 win over Sampdoria. Spalletti, who has not stopped singing Osimhen’s praises will hope his striker keeps it up to wreak the same havoc on Cagliari, who visit the Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
