After suffering setbacks against title contenders Inter and Juventus, Napoli returned to the Serie A winner’s circle with a hard-fought victory against struggling Cagliari.
In a scoreless first half, Victor Osimhen broke the deadlock, securing the lead for the defending champions.
Following an equalizer from the visitors’ Leonardo Pavoletti, Osimhen turned provider, setting up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for Napoli’s decisive goal.
Throughout the match, it appeared that a single goal might determine the outcome, and Osimhen delivered that crucial strike with only 20 minutes remaining, seizing the lead for Napoli after Cagliari intensified the competition at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
However, Cagliari responded just three minutes later, stunningly equalizing the score. Osimhen then orchestrated a decisive play, assisting Kvaratskhelia three minutes afterward, securing Napoli’s victory.
Despite Victor Osimhen’s stellar perferformance, concerns arose among Napoli supporters as he promptly left the pitch, appearing to carry a knock. The nature of the substitution raised questions about whether it was a precautionary measure or a cause for genuine concern.
Cagliari, recognized as Serie A’s most lethal team in the final five minutes this season, nearly capitalized again. Alberto Dossena’s determined header at point-blank range late in the game sailed just over the bar.
Napoli is set to climb at least one position in the table, with Roma and Bologna—both trailing the Azzuri by two points—facing each other tomorrow. On the other hand, Cagliari, perched just a point above the relegation zone, could potentially find themselves in precarious territory by the end of the weekend, as the bottom three teams are yet to play.
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