SASSUOLO starting XI (4-2-3-1): Consigli, Pedersen, Tressoldi (subbed for Kumbulla), Ferrari, Doig (subbed for Missori), Racic (subbed for Volpato), Matheus Henrique, Bajrami (subbed for Defrel), Thorstvedt, Lauriente, Pinamonti (subbed for Kumi)
Bench: Pegolo, Cragno, Erlic, Mulattieri, Berardi, Obiang, Ceide, Lipani
Goals: Racic 17’
NAPOLI starting XI (4-3-3): Meret, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani (subbed for Natan), Ostigard, Mario Rui, Anguissa, Lobotka (subbed for Dendoncker), Traorè (subbed for Zielinski), Politano (subbed for Raspadori), Osimhen (subbed for Simeone) , Kvaratskhelia
Bench: Contini, Gollini, Juan Jesus, Olivera, Lindostrom, Mazzocchi
Goals: Rrahmani 29’, Osimhen 31’ 41’ 47’, Kvaratskhelia 51’ 75’
Superstar striker Victor Osimhen scored a hat-trick as the struggling southern club routed relegation-threatened Sassuolo 6-1 on Thursday morning (AEDT).
As a result of their first victory under new coach Francesco Calzona, ninth-placed Napoli moved level on points with Lazio in eighth, and back into the discussion for European qualification.
Calzona, Napoli’s third coach this season, was hired to replace the fired Walter Mazzarri last week and had overseen draws with Barcelona in the Champions League and Cagliari in Serie A.
Sassuolo, third from bottom, extended their winless run to seven in their first game under their own new coach - Emiliano Bigica, who replaced the fired Alessio Dionisi on Sunday.
Sassuolo drew first blood, going ahead early when Uros Racic scored with a long-range, curving effort after 17 minutes.
Napoli defender Amir Rrahmani equalised on 29 minutes, before Osimhen - whose goals fired Napoli to the title last season - ripped the heart out of Sassuolo, finding the net three times in little more than quarter of an hour.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia added two more, scoring in the 51st and 75th minutes to complete the rout.
Osimhen became the third Napoli player to score at least 10 goals in four consecutive seasons, after Diego Maradona (1984-85 to 1987-88) and Attila Sallustro (1929-30 to 1932-33).
He has now scored five times over three matches in seven days since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, where he helped Nigeria reach the final.
AAP
Want to watch every Serie A and Serie B game live and on demand? Subscribe here.
