No Osimhen, more problem: Napoli thirst for victory as Ebuehi’s Empoli grab all points at Maradona Stadium

Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen, has been on the sideline since picking up an injury during Nigeria’s international friendly tie against Saudi Arabia

Napoli records another setback as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Empoli at the Diego Maradona Stadium, further highlighting the impact of Victor Osimhen’s absence, Soccernet.ng reports.

Hosting Empoli, Gli Azzurri faced a toothless draw for 90 minutes until a late pass from Super Eagles right back, Tyrone Ebuehi, was seized upon by Viktor Kovalenko, securing the victory for the away team.

Osimhen, sidelined due to an injury sustained during international duty with Nigeria against Saudi Arabia, left a noticeable void in Napoli’s attack.

In his absence, the team has secured only three victories out of six fixtures, including wins against Verona, the first leg of the UEFA Champions League against Union Berlin, and and an away victory Salernitana.

Contrasting with their Serie A title triumph in the 2022-23 season, Napoli currently occupies the fourth position in the Serie A standings, signaling a challenging season ahead.

Osimhen has been actively participating in training sessions, aiming to regain form, and reports from Italy suggest his anticipated return to Rudi Garcia’s squad after the international break in November.

Also, the Nigerian goal poacher will not feature for the Super Eagles against Lesotho and Zimbabwe in their 2026 FIFA World qualifiers. But, Jose Peseiro has called upon some trusted forwards to fill his void in the national team.