SSC Napoli of Italy striker, Victor has served off an early signal that he is set to create a better impact with the club this season in the Italian Serie A, as he fired home four goals in his club’s first build-up game.
Megasportsarena.com reports that Osimhen showed a sign of fearsome sparks and fiery flaks to come off his boots in the new season, as he went goals-wire with his Naples-based club in a pre-season friendly match on Sunday.
Osimhen, who struggled for form and favour during his first season with Napoli, after a record breaking transfer from Lille Metropole of France, showed early signs of finally getting it right in the Italian top-flight.
The Ultimate Strikers Football Academy of Lagos product, who has also previously played or VfL Wolfsburg of Germany and Sporting Charleroi of Belgium, struck a rare quadruple in his side’s 12-0 hammering of Bassa Anaunia during a pre-season friendly on Sunday.
Pundits were left gloating, as Osimhen turned in a ruthless performance and bagged all his goals in the first 45 minutes, following which the club’s new coach, Luciano Spalletti made 11 changes at half time, but Napoli did not let up and notched up another five goals.
In a game that saw Nigerian-born midfielder, Michael Folorunsho play the last 12 minutes for Napoli, Elfis Elmas put The Blues ahead on four minutes, following which Osimhen conjured a sublime dink over the goalkeeper to double Napoli’s lead four minutes later.
Kosta Manolas then nodded home Matteo Politano’s corner in the 15th minute and Osimhen then scored Napoli’s fourth and his second of the game in the 20th.
Dramatically, the Chile 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup top scorer also had what could have been his fifth goal ruled out, as Napoli made the best of their first friendly ahead of the new season, with Spaletti opting for a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Spalletti, who replaced Gennaro Gattuso after the end of last season, has already declared that he would be counting on Osimhen for goals in the coming campaign, as he described the youthful striker as a player who ‘is complete in every aspect’ of the game.
That would boost Osimhen for a better and smoother campaign than he had last season, as the club’s record signing ever battled a shoulder dislocation in action with the Super Eagles, a head injury in Serie A and coronavirus infection after his birthday in Lagos to score 10 goals.
It was Osimhen’s first season with Napoli, but he failed to reenact the heroics he had at Charleroi and Lille, while also missed out on getting a spot in the UEFA Champions League, after they finished fifth on the table.
The coach then opted to change tactics after the break, as he yanked off Osimhen, with with Andrea Petagna replacing the youngster, while Amir Rrahmani entered for Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly and Algeria’s Adam Ounas came off for Gennaro Tutino.
Osimhen will again aim for more heroics in Napoli’s next game, as they take on Serie C outfit, Pro Vercelli on Saturday and then fly out to tango Bayern Munich of Germany on July 31, following which they will begin their Serie A campaign against Venezia on August 21.
Heading into all of that, Sunday’s friendly gave a strong early hint about better days ahead of Osimhen and his club, as Spaletti hinted that he will give the youngster a free reign in attack, because he wants his side to be able to surprise their opponents.
Spaletti submitted: “You have to instill confidence in them, give them a clear message and create an incentive they believe in so that they can enjoy their work and remain motivated.
“Then of course you need the quality of the individual players to shine through. The footballers make the difference; the coach is secondary.”
