In a historic triumph for Napoli, Victor Osimhen, the Super Eagles striker, delivered the decisive blow that crowned his club as champions of Serie A on Thursday night.
Osimhen’s goal in their 1-1 draw against Udinese not only secured Napoli’s first Serie A title in 33 years, but it also set a new record for African players in the league.
The game started in a less-than-ideal way for Napoli as they fell behind to an early goal from Udinese’s Sandi Lovric in the 13th minute.
However, Osimhen remained undeterred, and his determination paid off in the 52nd minute with a powerful strike from a loose ball that nestled into the back of the net.
The 24-year-old striker had gone three games without scoring, but he made up for it in a crucial game that saw Napoli lift the Serie A trophy.
His equalizer on Thursday night made him the African player with the highest number of goals in a single Serie A season, surpassing Samuel Eto’o’s record of 21 goals for Inter Milan in the 2010/2011 season.
Osimhen’s goal was also significant in the context of African players in Serie A.
The Nigerian striker’s tally of 46 goals in only his third season put him level with George Weah, the all-time African highest goalscorer in the league.
Osimhen has cemented his status as one of the most lethal strikers in the league and a rising star for Nigeria.
The draw means that Napoli has mathematically secured the Serie A title with five matches left to play in the season, boasting an unassailable lead of 16 points ahead of second-placed Lazio.
