Champion Napoli’s celebration continues with win over Fiorentina
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Napoli is far from celebrated. In the first home game since winning the Italian national title, the first since 1990 and the third overall, happiness could be read from the faces of the spectators at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Blissful smiles everywhere. And outside the sold-out stadium, tens of thousands were also singing, dancing and jumping.
Coach Luciano Spalletti did not choose his strongest eleven against Fiorentina and started with Chvitsja Kvaratschelia, Stanislav Lobotka and Piotr Zielinski on the bench, among others. The occasional team proved to be the lesser of Fiorentina in the first half.
Osimhen misses and scores
At the stroke of halftime, Kvaratschelia came into the team for the injured Hirving Lozano, and with Lobotka and Zielinski also on hand, Napoli took control in the second half. After a foul by Fiorentina midfielder Nordin Amrabat on Lobotka, Napoli was awarded a penalty kick in the 48th minute.
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Victor Osimhen -
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Napoli celebrates third national title -
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Kim Min-jae celebrates third national title for Napoli
Serie A top scorer Victor Osimhen got behind the ball, but missed. When Osimhen missed a too-hard cross from Mathías Olivera and the Nigerian striker saw a beautiful lob over goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano hit the crossbar via a bounce, it did not seem to be his night.
Osimhen, however, had another chance. Kvaratschelia took a long ball from Eljif Elmas beautifully and went to the ground after light contact with Nicolás González. Referee Matteo Marchetti pointed to the spot and Osimhen dared to get behind the ball again. He sent the ball cleanly into the corner and scored his 23rd goal of the season.
Thus the party atmosphere in Stadio Diego Armando Maradona and beyond became, if possible, even greater. Even president Aurelio De Laurentiis could not suppress a smile. The party went on.
Juventus heading for Champions League soccer after win over Atalanta
Juventus, at least if it is not still penalized for financial mismanagement, seems to be playing Champions League soccer next season as well. Atalanta bowed out 2-0 in Bergamo and risk missing out on the silverware.
Before halftime, it was mainly a scramble. For Juve, only Angel Di María (header over) attempted a goal. Atalanta, with Marten de Roon and Teun Koopmeiners, was more active.
Two attempts by De Roon smothered, Mario Pasalic missed the best chance on a pass from Koopmeiners. Joakim Maehle forgot to shoot just after halftime. Samuel Iling showed decisiveness, though: he celebrated his first goal in Serie A in the rebound.
Koopmeiners still fired straight at Wojciech Szczesny, Davide Zappacosta hit the post and Dusan Vlahovic countered to make it 2-0.
