- Osimhen scored minutes after coming on in the second half to replace Giovanni Simeone
Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen came off the bench and scored the second goal in the Serie A encounter against Lecce on Saturday.
Osimhen was not named in the starting XI put forward by coach Rudi Garcia, but the Nigerian forward scored for the second game running after the incident where the official Napoli TikTok mocked him for his penalty miss against Bologna.
The 24-year-old scored minutes after coming on in the second half to replace Giovanni Simeone. Osimhen headed the ball home from a perfectly floated cross from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at the back post.
However, for the second game running, the Nigerian forward, since his mock over penalty miss, left a penalty for his teammate.
Napoli was awarded a penalty in the closing minute of the game after Lecce midfielder Ramadani brought down substitute Gianluca Gaetano. Another substitute, Matteo Politano, scored the spot-kick.
The Partenopei will face Real Madrid next Tuesday in Matchday 2 of the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Napoli manager Rudi Garcia has explained why Victor Osimhen was benched before been introduced for the Serie A clash with Leece.
Garcia also assured that the TikTok video controversy will ‘take care of itself.’
“The lads know they must be fully concentrated on this match, because it is already a few days after the last game and it is played under the sun and heat. This is no friendly, Lecce have had a great start to the season and we must be at 100 per cent physically and mentally to get a result,” Garcia was quoted by Football Italia.
“There has to be squad rotation, it is almost a third of the team that changed since the game with Udinese, so it’s natural to look to everyone, including those who come off the bench.”
He added: “The extra-sport issue is not important, I prefer to talk about what happens on the field and Osimhen has scored four goals in six games. The rest will take care of itself.”
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