Napoli 2-0 Sampdoria: Osimhen nets & finishes the season as the top goalscorer

Victor Osimhen and Giovanni Simeone got the goals in the second half as champions Napoli beat Sampdoria 2-0 on the final day of the Serie A season.

Match Report

This was a Scudetto celebration and Victor Osimhen consolidated his Capocannoniere status by earning and converting a penalty in the win over Sampdoria amid emotional scenes.

The title was clinched several weeks ago, but the trophy would only be presented at the end of the final match as part of a lavish ceremony, with coach Luciano Spalletti saying goodbye to the crowd. Kim Min-jae was suspended, with Matteo Politano, Hirving Lozano and Mathias Olivera carrying knocks. Samp were already relegated, but heard this week Andrea Radrizzani’s takeover bid was accepted, saving the club from bankruptcy.

Piotr Zielinski fired over in the opening minutes from Kvicha Kvaratskhelia’s pass, while the Georgian and Mario Rui also blasted off target from promising positions.

Fabio Quagliarella, who was moved to tears before kick-off by a gift and tribute from the Napoli ultras in his home town, nodded a Manolo Gabbiadini header wide of the back post.

Osimhen’s heavy touch let him down when clear on goal, then Malagrida forced a save out of Alex Meret. Osimhen was brought down by Nicola Murru when about to get his finish away, so Napoli were awarded a penalty that the Nigerian converted. It consolidated his Capocannoniere status with the 26th Serie A goal of the season. Osimhen is the first ever African to be Capocannoniere and the first to combine this crown with the Scudetto since Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2009.

Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa saw his volley into the ground saved by Martin Turk with great difficulty, while Gianluca Gaetano came off the bench and immediately had two big chances deflected.

Manolo Gabbiadini charged down the Giacomo Raspadori strike, but Gaetano was carried off with an ankle sprain at the 82nd minute, leaving Napoli down to 10 because all the substitutions had been completed.

Nonetheless, Cholito Simeone added a second goal with an absolute rocket from distance into the top corner. He ran to the touchline and held up an original match-worn Diego Maradona Number 10 jersey that was gifted to him by El Pibe de Oro’s family.

The emotions weren’t over, as Quagliarella was given a standing ovation following substitution in what may well be his final Serie A appearance, hugging every member of both teams.

Line-ups

Napoli XI: Mario Rui, Zielinski, Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, Rrahmani, Meret, Anguissa, Elmas, Osimhen, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Leo Östigard

Subs: Juan, Bereszynski, Demme, Gollini, G.Simeone, Ndombele, Giacomo Raspadori, Alessio Zerbin, Gaetano, Davide Marfella, Karim Zedadka

Sampdoria XI: Quagliarella, Rincon, Gabbiadini, Gunter, Murru, Tommaso Augello, Leris, Alessandro Zanoli, Bruno Amione, Martin Turk, Flavio Paoletti

Subs: Nicola Ravaglia, De Luca, Telasco Segovia, Gerard Yepes, Lorenzo Malagrida, Elia Tantalocchi, Emirhan Ilkhan, Mihailo Ivanovic, Arttu Lötjönen, Samuel Ntanda-Lukisa