Osimhen closes on Serie A records
Nigerian scores in eighth straight game for his 19th goal in 20 Serie A games
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen scored for the eighth consecutive Serie A match to close in on Gabriel Batistuta and Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of scoring in 11 consecutive games in the league.
The Nigeria international scored on 28 minutes to double Napoli’s lead away to Empoli Saturday evening.
The all-time record belongs to Batistuta, who scored for 11 in a row for Fiorentina in 1994-95.
It was equalled by Fabio Quagliarella for Sampdoria in 2018-19 and Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus in 2019-20.
However, Osimhen has done it without penalties and the only players who do better avoiding spot-kicks were David Trezeguet with nine for Juventus in 2005-06 and Ezio Pascutti’s 10 for Bologna in 1962-63.
The goal, the 24 year old’s first in three games against Empoli, is also his 19th of the season in 20 appearances which means he is just one goal shy of equalling the record for most goal scored by an African player in a single season held by his compatriot, Simy Nwankwo who netted 20 for Crotone is the 2020/21 season.
Osimhen is also just three goals shy of the 46 goals scored by George Weah for AC Milan to become the top scoring African in the Serie A.
