- Napoli suffered a 2-0 defeat against Roma in Serie A, with Victor Osimhen’s red card contributing to their challenges
- Osimhen’s expulsion, his second with Napoli, left the team with nine players on the field, impacting their league standing
In a high-stakes Italian Serie A match on Saturday night, Napoli endured a 2-0 loss to Roma, marred by the expulsion of Victor Osimhen, who saw a red card.
The 24-year-old Nigerian forward, who had earlier signed a contract extension with Napoli, faced an early exit after receiving two yellow cards for reckless fouls within 12 minutes.
Osimhen’s dismissal left Napoli with only nine players on the field, compounding their challenges as they trailed by a goal.
The match witnessed heightened tensions, with Osimhen’s strike partner, Matteo Politano, being sent off earlier in the encounter. The referee issued 11 yellow cards, and both teams’ coaches were also booked for their protests.
Roma’s manager, Jose Mourinho, engaged in a heated exchange with Osimhen during the first half, accusing him of simulation to earn a penalty. Surprisingly, the confrontation concluded with Mourinho planting a kiss on the cheek of the former Lille striker.
Osimhen’s first yellow card came in the 75th minute, and the second followed in the 87th minute, leading to his vehement disagreement with the referee’s decision to send him off.
This incident marks Osimhen’s second red card during his tenure with Napoli.
Romelu Lukaku, Roma’s striker, delivered the final blow deep into added time after Lorenzo Pellegrini had given Roma the lead in the 76th minute.
With this defeat, Napoli slipped to seventh place in the Serie A table, accumulating 27 points from 17 matches. Roma capitalized on the victory, moving above Napoli in the standings.