Victor Osimhen has been described as “a great player” on his return to Napoli as his goal helped the Italian champions draw 1-1 with Barcelona and hopes a dire season may have reached a turning point .
Nigeria striker Osimhen equalized with 15 minutes remaining in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 tie at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in his first game since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations.
The 25-year-old equalized in the 60th minute with Robert Lewandowski’s goal appearing to be the decisive goal as Barca had been the better side for long periods of time team, and Napoli’s first and only shot on target.
“He is an important player for us,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo told Amazon Prime Video.
“He’s coming back with the right attitude. We know he’s going to do that because he’s a great player and a professional. He’s going to help us down the stretch.”
Osimhen last played for Napoli before Christmas when he was one of two players sent off in a 2-0 loss to Roma.
His ninth goal of the season for the club came at a crucial moment, not only in the game but also against Napoli as they signed on for their third manager of the season Francesco Calzo Playing under the leadership of Na, their league title defense is in trouble.
Calzona has had less than 48 hours to prepare for his first game in charge after replacing Walter Mazzarri on Monday night, and Osimhen has given Napoli a chance of promotion despite a mixed performance.
Napoli will go into next month’s second leg in the Catalan capital knowing that, regardless of the team’s overall performance, there is always a chance of scoring with Osimhen in the squad.
“That’s a good starting point,” DiLorenzo added.
“We know we need to do more but we have taken a step forward and now we have a chance in the second leg. It’s all about the game.”
“A bit disappointed”
For Barcelona, meanwhile, this is the latest misstep in a complex campaign that will see Coach Xavi leave at the end of the season, assuming president Joan Laporta doesn’t sack the coach before then.
The visitors had the better chances but were unable to beat Napoli and could pay for their waste.
“We are a bit disappointed with the result because we could have won,” Ronald Araujo told Movistar.
“Napoli had a lot of the ball in the last 15 minutes but they created almost no chances. That’s the way it is in the Champions League.”
Barca showed why they were pre-match favorites in the opening minutes, dominating the ball and creating shooting chances that dulled an initially raucous crowd.
Teenage starlet Lamine Yamar came close to becoming the youngest goalscorer in Champions League history when his shot in the ninth minute was saved by Alex Meret.
In the 23rd minute, the visiting team almost took the lead twice. Lewandowski’s shot was saved by Meret, who then broke through Gundogan’s long shot.
Napoli’s performance in the game improved from that point on, but the home side failed to score before the break despite holding their opponents back.
Soon after the restart, Gundogan forced Meret into a good save shortly after Yamal’s pass and then saved a good chance.
Barca took a deserved lead on the hour mark when Lewandowski latched on to Pedri’s pass and curled a perfect low shot past Meret.
The visitors looked set to extend their advantage when Osimhen pounced and Inigo Martinez slipped in on the edge of the area to equalize and change the atmosphere in the stadium.
André-France Zambo Unguesa and substitute Giovanni Simeone both fired wide as the home side trailed, but Barca fell just short of a late victory.
Gundogan’s frustrating night in front of goal continued into injury time when his low shot went just wide.
Galeno beats timid Arsenal with late Porto winner
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta reacted to a lack of lead after Galeno’s superb stoppage-time goal gave Porto a 1-0 win in the Champions League last 16 first leg on Wednesday. He expressed regret.
Appearing in the knockout stages of Europe’s top club competition for the first time in seven years, Arsenal struggled to break down Porto’s organized defense before Galeno’s superb strike in the 94th minute.
The defeat ended Arsenal’s eight-match unbeaten run against their Portuguese opponents and leaves the Gunners with plenty of work to do ahead of the second leg in London on March 12.
“We lacked the threat. We lacked the aggression, especially when we had the ball in the final third,” Arteta told TNT Sports. “So we’re going to tweak some things to be better offensively. We can do better.”
Arsenal last reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2010, when they beat Porto in the last 16, but it is the Portuguese club who now have the upper hand.
“I think this is a very well organized team defensively and they always break your rhythm,” Arteta said.
“We want to get to the quarter-finals and you have to beat your opponents and that’s what we’re going to do at the Emirates Stadium.”
Arsenal didn’t have a single shot on target and their recent scoring spree came to an abrupt end.
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice said: “When the score is 0-0 and you look up at the clock, 93 minutes have passed. If you don’t want to win the game, don’t lose the game.”
“It’s a real blow because we admitted it too late, but we know what to do. We’re not going to bow down.”
After the team’s 5-0 victory over Burnley last weekend, Arteta kept the same starting lineup for the third consecutive game.
Porto defender Pepe, who turns 41 next week, is the oldest outfield player in the history of the Champions League, making his 119th appearance in the competition.
By comparison, Arsenal’s starting line-up before kick-off at the Dragons Stadium was 104.
Despite a lack of Champions League experience, Arteta says his side believe they can blend in with the best teams in Europe.
Escape attack stopped
The Gunners have started 2024 with five consecutive Premier League wins, scoring 21 goals in those games, firmly in the hunt for a first title in two decades.
As well as dominating England for the first time since 2004, the north Londoners also believe they can conquer Europe too, fueled by the prospect of a Wembley final.
Arsenal have never won the Champions League – the only time they lost in the final was to Barcelona in 2006.
Porto, the 1987 and 2004 European champions, finished a disappointing third in Portugal this season but frustrated Arsenal throughout.
They were happy to relinquish possession and let Arsenal dictate the tempo of the game in the first half, but it was the home side who created the best chances.
Francisco Conceicao burst in from the right, sliding in a cross that rounded the gliding Gabriel, and Galeno fired towards the far post before firing in The ball came back to him and the rebound was deflected wide.
In the 45th minute, Nico Gonzalez kicked off and William Saliba and Kai Havertz headed wide from either side of the corner kick.
Leandro Trossard was once again the attacking leader alongside Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, firing a powerful volley from Rice’s corner early in the second half.
Arteta made the only substitution with a quarter of an hour remaining, bringing on Jorginho for Trossard, but Arsenal’s lack of a prolific striker was exposed and they were eventually replaced by Galeno. Magic moment ruined.
(AFP France 24 Hours News)