Victor Osimhen’s Return Ends In Surprise Napoli Humbling

The former Lille striker made his long-awaited return for Il Partenopei in Verona, but it ended in a surprise defeat for his side

Victor Osimhen finally returned to action for Napoli for the first time in over two months, but his best efforts could not help Gennaro Gattuso’s side avoid a 3-1 loss away to Hellas Verona in a Serie A clash.

The 22-year-old had not made a matchday squad for the Naples-based club since scoring the only goal in the defeat of Bologna on November 8.

But after recovering from a shoulder injury cupped on international duty and coronavirus, Osimhen started on the bench against Hellas Verona.

Napoli were off to a great start as Hirving Lozano punished a Federico Dimarco error to open the scoring in just the first minute.

But Dimarco atoned for his error with the equaliser ten minutes before the interval, and Antonin Barak completed the turnaround for Verona in the 62nd minute.

Stung to action, manager Gattuso introduced Osimhen three minutes later as the visitors searched for a way back into the tie against a side seven points below them on the league standings before kickoff.

But it was Mattia Zaccagni who got the next decisive touch to extend Verona’s lead and condemn Napoli to their first league defeat since crashing 1-2 at home to Spezia earlier in the month.

Osimhen continues to find his feet in Italy, with the former Sporting Charleroi man managing just two goals in seven league games for the Italian side.