Osimhen fires Napoli to within point of summit with Venezia winner

[FILES] Victor Osimhen in pain after he suffered injury in his eye socket and cheekbone a few days ago. Photo: Dailymail.co.uk

Ebuehi sent off

Victor Osimhen scored on his first Napoli start since November to help his team to a 2-0 win at Venezia, yesterday, which moves them to one point behind Serie A leaders, Inter Milan, writes AFP.

Nigeria striker, Osimhen, had made two brief substitute appearances since fracturing bones in his face in a sickening head clash at Inter Milan. He rewarded coach Luciano Spalletti’s decision to pick him by leaping to head Napoli ahead just before the hour mark at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo.

Andrea Petagna sealed the points in the 100th minute of a match extended due to a clash of heads between the referee and Venezia’s Tyronne Ebuehi, as well as that same player’s late red card for a dreadful foul on Dries Mertens.

Wearing a special face mask, Osimhen’s sixth Serie A goal of the season — his first since mid-October — fired Napoli right back into a three-way league title tussle.

Napoli is second, level on 52 points with AC Milan, who broke open the race for the Scudetto as Olivier Giroud’s derby double, which saw off Inter on Saturday.

Like Milan, Napoli has played a game more than Inter but they host the champions next weekend before travelling to Barcelona for the first leg of their Europa League play-off with the Catalan giants.

Osimhen could have had another as he struck the post in the first half but Napoli had to battle their way past Venezia, who are in the relegation zone following defeat and Cagliari’s 2-1 win at 10-man Atalanta earlier yesterday.

Gaston Pereiro earned Walter Mazzarri’s Cagliari their third win in five league matches to move them up to 17th, two points ahead of Venezia.

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