Osimhen header not enough to save Napoli from UCL exit
Fit-again Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen scored with a header but it was not enough to save Napoli from a UEFA Champions League exit in the hands of AC Milan.
Italian Serie A Champions-in-waiting, Napoli exited the UEFA Champions League after a 1-1 second leg draw against AC Milan on Tuesday night at the Diego Maradona stadium in Naples.
That result meant AC Milan progressed to the semi-finals with a 2-1 aggregate win following the 1-0 first leg win in Milan last week Wednesday.
It was Napoli who asked the early questions as they pushed to level the aggregate score.
Napoli`s Matteo Politano had a shot in the 20th minute of play go just wide off the target just before AC Milan were awarded a penalty following a foul on Rafael Leão in the box.
French forward Olivier Giroud took responsibility but failed to convert the spot kick.
Piotr Zieliński tested Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan in the 26th minute but there was not enough power on the short to trouble the goalie.
The next chance went Milan`s way but Giroud failed to beat Napoli goalkeeper Meret as both teams pushed for the opening goal.
With four minutes to the end of the first half, Osimhen had his first chance of the game but Theo Hernandez was alert to save the danger for Milan.
In the 43rd minute, the breakthrough finally arrived. For Milan as Olivier Giroud atoned for his penalty miss, finishing off from a Rafael Leao move.
Osimhen then thought he has scored the equalizer but that effort was ruled out because the striker handled the ball before scoring in the additional minutes of the first half.
Milan were effective in defence to keep Napoli at bay for most parts of the second half. In the 81st minute, former Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori handled the ball inside the Milan penalty area and so Napoli was awarded a penalty kick,
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia stepped up to take the kick and missed. Osimhen had anothher header miss target minutes after.
With the clock ticking away, Osimhen headed home the equalizer to set up a frantic finale.
Stefano Pioli`s men held on to seal a 1-1 draw and book a place in the last-4 of this seasons EFA Champions League and Primary.
Osimhen and Napoli exit the Champions league to focus on their chase for the scudetto.
