Victor Osimhen showcased his scoring prowess once more for Napoli under the stewardship of Francesco Calzona, yet the team settled for a draw against Cagliari, with Zito Luvumbo’s late strike salvaging a point.
This marked Napoli’s inaugural outing with Calzona at the helm, following Walter Mazzarri’s recent dismissal, amidst a tight schedule that included a Champions League encounter against Barcelona merely two days prior. The absence of Giovanni Di Lorenzo, due to suspension, and Cyril Ngonge’s injury left gaps in the lineup, while Osimhen overcame flu symptoms to partner with Giacomo Raspadori upfront. On the other side, Cagliari faced absences from key players such as Ibrahim Sulemana, Pantelis Hatzidiakos, Eldor Shomurodov, and Marco Mancosu, although Gaetano Oristanio returned to the bench.
Early tensions were evident, with Osimhen reacting sharply to an off-the-ball incident involving Yerry Mina. Both sides had opportunities, with Jakub Jankto and Gianluca Lapadula testing Napoli’s defense, while Raspadori threatened from range. Napoli took the lead against the flow of play, courtesy of Raspadori’s initiative and Osimhen’s diving header.
Despite Napoli’s chances to extend their lead, including Osimhen hitting the woodwork, Cagliari seized a late equalizer through Luvumbo’s clinical finish. The goal came from a lofted pass over Napoli’s defense, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to secure a draw in stoppage time.