Osimhen's penalty miss dooms Napoli to 3-game winless run

Osimhen's penalty miss dooms Napoli to 3-game winless run

Faruq Ibrahim 19:20 - 24.09.2023

Napoli's stuttering start to the season continues with draw at Bologna.

Super Eagles ace Victor Osimhen had the chance to half Napoli's poor run of form from the penalty spot, but missed, condemning the Partenopei to their third game without a win in Serie A.

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Napoli's title defence continue to go poorly under Rudi Garcia, as their trip to Renato Dall'Ara failed to yield result, a ground on which they also stuttered in their charge to the Scudetto last season.

How it happened 

Napoli staved off another poor result midweek, thanks to a late Sikou Niakaté against Braga in the Champions League, their first win after a draw and a defeat.

Rudi opted to start two centre-forwards, Osimhen and Giacomo Raspadori, dropping Matteo Politano, who started in the victory against the Braguistas.

The Nigerian striker had a chance to give the visitors the lead as early as the fourth minute when he was played in behind the Bologna backline, but his shot was parried by Lukasz Skorupski into the path of Khivcha Kvaratskhelia, who missed the rebound.

Napoli continued to ask questions, with Osimhen and the Georgian winger looking lively, but they failed to break the deadlock.

The visitors were handed a lifeline when a Kvaratskelia cross was handled by a Bologna defender in the box. Osimhen stepped up to take the resulting penalty but fired his attempt wide.

The hosts came close to snatching a win late in the game with a late flurry of attacks but failed to punish Garcia’s men for their profligacy, as both teams shared the spoils.

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