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Hirving Lozano and Napoli secured a massive 2-0 victory in the Champions League Round of 16 on Tuesday on the road against Eintracht Frankfurt. A sublime Chucky Lozano assist vs Frankfurt in the first half opened the scoring.
Chucky Lozano assist vs Frankfurt
In the 40th minute Napoli struck on a counterattack to snatch their first goal. A burst of pace from Lozano, who was a menace to the Frankfurt defense for large portions of the game, got Napoli in scoring position.
Victor Osimhen was calling for the ball in the middle, but there was still plenty of work for Lozano to do. The Mexican international answered the call with an inch-perfect assist.
Napoli hit Frankfurt on the counter and who else?!
Victor Osimhen. pic.twitter.com/37cUNgASoZ— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 21, 2023
Victor Osimhen’s literally flying #UCL
Nigerian striker has scored 20 goals in 24 appearances this season with Napoli — also including 7 consecutive goals in Serie A for the first time in the history of the club. pic.twitter.com/cfJU7f1zbk— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 21, 2023
This was Lozano's eighth goal involvement of the season (four goals, four assists) and his first assist in the 2022-23 Champions League season. He was named man of the match for the Napoli-Frankfurt game.
Partidazo
Chucky Lozano shined bright in Napoli’s UCL knockout stage against Frankfurt and was named MOTM pic.twitter.com/eI1gylft0U— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 21, 2023
Lozano and Osimhen linked up again straight from the Frankfurt kickoff with a nearly identical play, but it was called back for offside.
Napoli looked comfortable in the first half and would have led 2-0 had it not been for Kevin Trapp denying the Italian side from the penalty spot in the 36th minute.
The situation went south for the hosts in the second half. Frankfurt’s star striker Randal Kolo Muani was sent off in the 58th minute after a hard tackle on Frank Zambo. Not everyone, this writer included, was convinced that the tackle was worthy of a straight red card.
Things go from bad to worse for Eintracht Frankfurt as Randal Kolo Muani sees red for this challenge... #UCL pic.twitter.com/egJ8OgGI8v
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) February 21, 2023
Napoli took total control of the game after Kolo Muani’s red card and would double the lead soon after.
The Serie A leaders’ second goal came courtesy of another beautiful assist. This time it was Georgian rising star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia getting the assist as he set up Giovanni Di Lorenzo with a clever backheel.
A sensational team goal from Napoli and finished delightfully by their captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo. pic.twitter.com/ENhkEm7Nji
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 21, 2023
Napoli will return to Italy with a huge 2-0 aggregate lead. If Napoli get the job done in the second leg on March 15, they will advance to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal for the first time in club history.
No team will want to meet this Napoli side in the quarterfinals.
