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Napoli into Champions League last eight for first time


By Reuters
Published : 16 Mar 2023 09:45 PM

Napoli forward Victor Osimhen struck either side of the break to steer the Italians to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday and into the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time.

The 24-year-old Nigeria international, who also scored in their 2-0 win over Eintracht in Germany, scored with a header in first-half stoppage time.

Osimhen bagged his 23rd goal in 28 matches in all competitions this season with a tap-in after a quick four-pass Napoli combination in the 53rd minute before Piotr Zielinski converted a penalty to secure a 5-0 aggregate win.

Prior to the game fighting broke out in the Italian city as fans set a police car on fire and threw stones at buses and police.

Italian authorities had banned German fans from attending the game amid concerns about possible violence, but some Eintracht supporters made the trip to Italy anyway.

It was peaceful Inside the Diego Maradona stadium and the hosts were in control from the start.

KhvichaKvaratskhelia went close with a mazy run into the box in the 19th minute and the Georgian was denied again in the 43rd with keeper Kevin Trapp kicking the winger’s close-range shot wide.

Osimhen opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time after being given far too much space in the box to rise high and head in a measured Matteo Politano cross.

That meant Europa League champions Frankfurt needed three goals, but they struggled against a well-drilled Napoli defence, with their two top strikers strikers – suspended Randal KoloMuani and injured Jesper Lindstrom – missing.

They were also under pressure from Napoli’s relentless pressing game and it was Osimhen who scored again. He tapped in from close range to kill off any hopes of a German comeback, becoming the first Napoli player to score in both legs of a Champions League knockout match.

The Serie A leaders capped a superb two-legged performance with Zielinski’s penalty after the Pole was brought down in the box.