In a heated Italian Serie A showdown on Saturday night, Napoli suffered a 2-0 defeat against Roma, marred by Victor Osimhen’s red card expulsion.
The 24-year-old Nigerian forward, who earlier in the day had inked a contract extension with Napoli, was sent off after committing two reckless fouls within a mere 12 minutes.
Osimhen’s dismissal left Napoli two men down on the field, compounding their woes as they trailed by a goal.
The match was riddled with discord, as Osimhen’s strike partner, Matteo Politano, had already been sent off earlier in the tense encounter, leading to a total of 11 yellow cards. Both clubs’ coaches were also booked for their protestations.
Roma’s manager, Jose Mourinho, engaged in a confrontation with Osimhen during the first half, accusing him of simulation in an attempt to win a penalty. Surprisingly, the altercation 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 arrived in the 87th minute, culminating in his vehement disagreement with the referee’s decision to send him off.
This incident marks Osimhen’s second red card during his tenure with the club.
Romelu Lukaku, Roma’s striker, hammered home the final blow deep into added time after Lorenzo Pellegrini had earlier put Roma in the lead in the 76th minute.
With this loss, Napoli slid to seventh place on the Serie A table, amassing 27 points from 17 matches. Roma capitalized on the victory, leapfrogging above Napoli in the standings.