Victor Osimhen has seen his scoring run in the 2023/24 Serie A season halted. The striker could not register a goal on the scoresheet for Napoli in their matchday 3 fixture.
Lazio, once again, have proven to be a hurdle that the Super Eagles ace cannot scale.
Since his debut for the Partenopei, Osimhen has had a hard time with scoring goals against the Biancocelesti. This time, however, his failure to get on the scoresheet earned the 2022/23 Scudetto winners their first (deserved) loss of the new season.
Victor Osimhen was left dejected after the narrow loss.
FT | #NapoliLazio 1-2
⏹ Che notte, che vittoria! Vinciamo a Napoli per il secondo anno consecutivo!#AvantiLazio 🦅 pic.twitter.com/5U2d7SjvV4
— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio) September 2, 2023
Napoli 1 – 2 Lazio: Osimhen and co gift former manager Sarri first three points of 2023/24
Lazio came into the game wary of the threat of Victor Osimhen and the returning Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, with whom the Partenopei turned the whole of Italy on its head last season.
Maurizio Sarri, who came into prominence as Napoli manager, was also worried about getting his first three points.
Up until the final whistle of the Napoli vs Lazio clash, the Biancocelesti had failed to secure three points in the 2023/24 season. They had also not been able to surmount Napoli since 2016, making the match an even bigger deal.
For star man Osimhen, the jarring feeling of the capital club being his Achilles heel must have kept him up all night. His only goal against them to date was in their 5-2 victory in matchday 32 of his debut season with Napoli.
His thoughts must have kept him from being his best as he looked a little lost in the game. Bar an early chance, both the AFCON 2023 qualifiers fixtures top scorer and his Georgian strike partner Kvaratskhelia were unable to muster a serious attacking threat.
Lazio would go ahead against the run of play, thereby switching the game's momentum. Lazio would score four goals but two were disallowed and the match ended 2-1 in favour of the visitors.
📸 #NapoliLazio: la gallery finale del match
💙 #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/uh0PrZY1Tc
— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) September 2, 2023
Osimhen failed to add to his tally, although his three goals so far gives him an edge.
His main rival for the 2023/24 Capocannoniere, Lautaro Martinez of Inter Milan, will be in action on Sunday. If the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner gets on the scoresheet, AC Milan's Olivier Giroud and the Argentina striker would become the hurdles Osimhen has to scale for a second straight Capocannoniere.
Osimhen and co played well; Lazio defeat undeserved, says Rudi Garcia
Images of Victor Osimhen looking dejected have been circulated around the internet after Napoli's first defeat of the season.
The striker, who is the first name on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) technical committee team sheet for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Sao Tome and Principe, appeared not to take the defeat well.
He missed a gilt edge chance and was played out of the game by brilliant Lazio defenders.
However, his manager, Rudi Garcia, thinks that he and his teammates did well and did not deserve the defeat, despite Lazio putting four goals past them, two of which VAR ruled out.
Garcia did not spare them for their softer second-half performance which allowed Lazio to kill the game, however.
Napoli weaklink is Rudi Garcia. His appointment makes no sense
Outcoached by Sarri 2nd half tonight. No answer to Sarri’s tweaks
Gaping holes between Napoli departments, especially on counter. Lazio scored 2 & had 2 disallowed
I tipped Inter & Milan above Napoli cos of Garcia
— Carlo Garganese (@carlogarganese) September 2, 2023
“We deserved to be ahead at halftime because we played really well at the start and did not get the goal we deserved,” Garcia told journalists.
“Considering the second half, Lazio deserved the win, but looking at the match as a whole, I think a draw would’ve been better. The lads must learn that when we cannot win, we must at least not lose.”
The international break begins on Monday, 4 September and regular football season will resume on Saturday 16 September.
Osimhen will hope to have shaken off the disappointment and get his Capocannoniere charge back underway.
This article was most recently revised and updated 2 months ago
