Runaway leaders and UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists for the first time in history, Napoli showed no signs of a hangover from the completion of their 5-0 aggregate win over Eintracht Frankfurt. They drew first blood after just nine minutes, when Piotr Zieliński swung in a corner from the right, which was met head-on by Osimhen for his 11th strike in as many games, with the opener also setting up his provider for a 13th personal victory over Torino in 19 H2Hs.
Torino nearly hit back out of nowhere shortly after, when a loosely-marked Nikola Vlašić hit a low shot from outside the area, only to draw a superb low save from Alex Meret. Mastermind of six straight away shutouts for Napoli before kick-off, the stopper was soon called into action in spectacular fashion again, as he blocked a cutback and long-range shot from Samuele Ricci despite being unsighted, before Antonio Sanabria hit the goal frame when following up.
Mërgim Vojvoda then sent a shot on the angle inches wide just a minute later, before Napoli resumed control and won a penalty when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia went down under a rash challenge from fellow #77 Karol Linetty just over 10 minutes before HT. The Georgian himself took it and calmly sent Vanja Milinković-Savić the wrong way, doubling Napoli’s lead in Turin. Kvaratskhelia then nearly turned provider, laying the ball on for an Osimhen shot that Milinković-Savić blocked low to his left to keep the scoreline somewhat respectable.
Il Toro were firmly on the ropes as referee Matteo Marchetti blew for HT, and any hint of a comeback after the interval was destroyed just five minutes into the second period. Again Kvaratskhelia was instrumental, with his quick feet enabling him to flick cleverly to Mathías Olivera on the left flank, and he flighted a ball to the far post for Osimhen to complete a brace of headed goals in a single match for the second time in 2023.
Such was Torino’s non-presence on a dreadful afternoon for them, it was only a matter of time before Napoli made it 4-0, and they did so with a whole 25 minutes still remaining. By now in full overdrive, Osimhen outwitted two garnet shirts to poke a ball into Kvaratskhelia’s path, and he in turn slid through to the onrushing Tanguy Ndombele, enabling the Frenchman to slot nonchalantly past the now furious Milinković-Savić and complete the rout. Ultimately, a 4-0 scoreline flattered Torino, as Napoli took another emphatic step towards a first Scudetto since 1990.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli)
