New season brought new opponents, but Osimhen's routine stayed the same

Frosinone is a nice little place on the road between Naples and Italian capital Rome. And Scudetto holders had a pleasant trip there on the first day of Serie A 2023/24 campaign.

Although the division's new boys got off to a dream start by taking the lead against the champions, Matteo Politano and Victor Osimhen ensured Rudi Garcia's return to Italian football had a winning note.

Napoli had to line up for the new season without star winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia but they did enough to secure the points with minimum fuss.

Jens Cajuste recklessly fouled Jaime Baez in Napoli's box, giving Abdoulrahmane Harroui a chance to score from the spot inside the opening ten minutes. A chance he didn't miss. Politano hammered a shot beyond Stefano Turati to level midway throught the first half.

In a continuation of their form from last season, Napoli once again displayed their dominance. Just before the break, their leading scorer with 26 goals, Osimhen, unleashed a powerful first-time shot into the top of the net from a Giovanni Di Lorenzo delivery.

Although operating in the second division, Stadio Benito Stirpe served as an impregnable fortress throughout the last season. The home ground saw the Canaries succumb to just two defeats in front of their devoted fans throughout the entire campaign. Even when confronted with significantly tougher opposition, they refused to yield easily.

However, Osimhen demonstrated his finishing ability by securing his second goal of the evening. He outwitted the offside trap and calmly slotted the ball past Turati in a one-on-one situation.

SERIE A - MATCHDAY 1

Saturday

Empoli - Hellas Verona 0-1 (0-0)

/Bonazzoli 75/

Frosinone - Napoli 1-3 (1-2)

/Harroui 7 pen - Politano 24, Osimhen 42, 79/

21.45: (3.25) Genoa (3.40) Fiorentina (2.35)

21.45: (1.42) Inter (4.90) Monza (8.50)

Sunday

19.30: (3.50) Sassuolo (3.60) Atalanta (2.15)

19.30: (1.58) Roma (3.90) Salernitana (7.25)

21.45: (4.50) Udinese (3.60) Juventus (1.90)

21.45: (3.80) Lecce (3.35) Lazio (2.15)

Monday

19.30: (1.70) Torino (3.70) Cagliari (6.00)

21.45: (4.00) Bologna (3.50) Milan (2.05)

***odds are subject to change