Victor Osimhen made sure Napoli reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in their history with a brace in Wednesday’s 3-0 stroll past Eintracht Frankfurt.
Nigeria striker Osimhen struck either side of half-time to help Napoli secure a deserved 5-0 aggregate win.
Piotr Zielinski added Napoli’s third from the penalty spot on a perfect night for southern Italy’s biggest club, who Osimhen believes can go all the way.
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“It’s amazing to make history with this win. I’m happy to contribute to this win, we want to keep on going like this. It’s beautiful to advance in this kind of competition,” said Osimhen to Amazon Prime.
“We will keep on dreaming, we have the squad to do so (win the Champions League). I think we are on the right path. We have a great coach. We will see what the future holds for us, I think we have a good chance.”
Luciano Spalletti’s side are close to securing their first Serie A title in over three decades and an already remarkable season got even better with a place in Friday’s draw for the last eight of Europe’s top club competition.
They have been powered to an almost certain domestic triumph and a deep run in Europe by the red-hot Osimhen, who has now netted 23 times in all competitions for possibly the continent’s most exciting team.
Eintracht were without suspended France forward Randal Kolo Muani following his sending off in the first leg and the Bundesliga outfit did very little to trouble Napoli.
Napoli’s Hirving Lozano, Victor Osimhen, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Juan Jesus acknowledge the crowd after their win. AFP
Oliver Glasner’s side head out of the competition on a night in which their fans were involved in serious disorder after travelling to Naples despite no tickets for away fans being put on sale.
Eintracht had decided to not take up their ticket allocation for the match after Italian authorities produced two separate bans in a matter of days.
That didn’t stop the German club’s hardcore fans however, who clashed with local police on a tense evening in Naples.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia almost scored his second wonder goal in less than a week in the 19th minute after a brilliant tackle from Piotr Zielinski sent him charging towards goal.
But he was forced wide just as he looked for a shooting chance and ended up being denied smartly by Kevin Trapp, who did well again two minutes before the break to denied the Georgian.
However Trapp could do nothing to stop Osimhen putting Napoli ahead moments later, the Nigeria international showing why he is one of the most highly-rated strikers in the world with a perfectly timed leap and header from Matteo Politano’s hanging cross.
And Osimhen struck again seven minutes after the break with a simpler finish, this time tapping in Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s low cross after more good play from Politano and Kvaratskhelia.
Napoli were cruising and, after two half-chances for Eintracht’s Daichi Kamada and Rafael Borre and another good save from Trapp on Kvaratskhelia, they were three ahead on the night.
The excellent Zielinski was brought down by Djibril Sow, allowing the Poland midfielder to dust himself down and calmly slot home a spot-kick in the 64th minute.
All that was left was for the packed Stadio Maradona to shout ‘Ole’ at every pass as they watched their team make history.