:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/grupoclarin/GF2IVHV4XNBKNPZOOV5H4J3EQM.jpg "With Osimhen’s treble, Napoli lost 6-1 to Sassuolo")
ROME (AP) — Victor Osimhen scored a hat trick and defending Serie A champion Napoli completed one of its best games of the season by crushing Sassuolo 6-1 on Wednesday.
With its first victory under new coach Francesco Calzona, Napoli remained in ninth place but caught up with eighth-placed Lazio in points. He also got involved in the bid for European places.
Calzona, the club’s third coach this season, was hired after the dismissal of Walter Mazzarri last week and had started his period with draws against Barcelona in the Champions League and Cagliari in the Italian league
Sassuolo is second to last in the table and extended its streak of games without a win to seven. They played their first duel under the direction of Emiliano Bigica, who on Sunday replaced the dismissed Alessio Dionisi.
In the clash between two teams that have disappointed this season, Sassuolo took the lead with Uros Racic’s goal in the 17th minute
Neapolitan defender Amir Rrahmani equalized in the 29th after a good play created by Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.
Osimhen entered the scene with three goals in a span of 16 minutes.
Matteo Politano assisted on the Nigerian striker’s first two goals. For the third, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia intercepted a pass and gave way for Osimhen to score at will.
Kvaratskhelia also hit the net, first in the 51st minute and then in the 75th.
Osimhen became the third player in Napoli history to score at least 10 goals in four consecutive seasons, following in the footsteps of Diego Maradona (1984-85 to 1987-88) and Attila Sallustro (1929-30 to 1932-33) .
Napoli will visit Barcelona on March 12 in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16.