Two of NapoliтАЩs most influential players combined for what could be their most crucial win in this campaign. They also brought JuventusтАЩ revival to a juddering тАФ and humiliating тАФ halt.
Victor Osimhen scored twice and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia once, while also setting up each otherтАЩs goals, to help Serie A leader Napoli crush second-placed Juventus 5-1 on Friday and open up a 10-point lead.
├Бngel Di Mar├нa halved the deficit for Juventus shortly before halftime but Napoli ran away with it after the break with goals from Amir Rrahmani and Elif Elmas on either side of OsimhenтАЩs second.
It was the first time in nearly 30 years that Juventus conceded five goals in a league match.
тАЬCongratulations to the team. Big game, big team, big respect to Juventus for the fight,тАЭ said Osimhen, who took his tally to 12 goals in 14 league matches this season. тАЬWe needed this more and IтАЩm happy about the result.
тАЬWe gave a lot for the game, we needed the three points. IтАЩm happy for the team, and IтАЩm happy as well to contribute with two goals and an assist. We want to keep on building on this momentum.тАЭ
Defending champion AC Milan can trim the gap to Napoli back to seven points with a win at Lecce on Saturday.
But the result will instil a real sense of belief that Napoli can end its lengthy wait for the league title тАФ since Diego Maradona led the Partenopei to their only two league titles in 1987 and 1990.
тАЬThe road is still long, we just want to continue to win our games, we care less about other teams,тАЭ Osimhen added. тАЬWe want to continue to do well, carry out the coachтАЩs instructions and keep on getting the points.
“And of course at the end of the season I think we have a good chance.тАЭ
There is a strong rivalry between Napoli and Juventus and the visitors from Turin were roundly jeered when they appeared.
Juventus was full of confidence after eight straight wins without conceding a goal and was also able to hand Federico Chiesa his first start since tearing his cruciate ligament more than a year ago.
However, Napoli took the lead in the 14th minute. Wojciech Szcz─Щsny brilliantly parried an acrobatic shot from Kvaratskhelia but Osimhen headed in the rebound.
It was the first goal Juventus conceded in 770 minutes.
That eventually sparked Juventus into life and Di Mar├нa hit the crossbar after rushing onto a wayward pass from Rrahmani.
Napoli doubled its lead in the 39th when Osimhen returned the favor for Kvaratskhelia, rolling across the area for his unmarked teammate to slot into the bottom right corner.
World Cup winner Di Mar├нa pulled one back for Juventus three minutes before the break but that proved to be a false dawn for the Bianconeri.
Napoli extended its advantage 11 minutes after the restart when a corner came to Rrahmani in the middle of the area and he blasted it in.
Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen combined again in the 65th with the latter heading in a cross from the Georgia forward. And the humiliation was completed in the 72nd when ElmasтАЩ effort was deflected past Szcz─Щsny.
