Victor Osimhen grabbed a brace to help Napoli advance to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League with a 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt and qualify 5-0 on aggregate. It’s Napoli’s first ever Champions League quarter final appearance.
The goal is Osimhen’s 50th for Napoli. The Nigeria international also became the first ever Napoli player to score in both legs of a European Cup/Champions League knockout stage.
Osimhen continued his impressive form for the Italian giants leaping the highest to head home the opener for the hosts in the 45th minute after a superb cross from winger Matteo Politano.
The star striker extended his side’s lead in the 53rd minute, hitting the ball into the net from close range after a low cross from captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo. The Italians put the game beyond the visitors when Piotr Zielinski made it 3-0 from the penalty spot in the 64th minute as the Germans were once again outclassed.
With the goals, Osimhen becomes the first Nigerian to score a brace in the knockout stage of the Champions League, a record he will be hoping to better on in the quarter finals of the competition.
“I’m really excited for the win and a big congratulations to the entire team for the result. It was an amazing game and we’re excited we got the win and the qualification at the end of the day,” Osimhen said after the match.
“The first goal, I know Politano and I know that when the ball comes to his tight foot, he will play the ball in, we’ve been training hard for these kinds of situations and I also had to anticipate the cross. For the penalty, Zielinski asked me if he could take it and I said yes because I’m a team player. As long as the team achieves success, it doesn’t matter who scores. I know my goals will come with or without the penalties and I know it’s good to have this kind of mentality.”
Osimhen made way for Giovanni Simeone in the 81st minute. The 24-year-old was named the Player of The Match in the encounter.