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Napoli 1-0 Roma to extend winning streak to 11 games

Published: 24 Oct. 2022, 15:16 Updated: 24 Oct. 2022, 17:07

Napoli's Kim Min-jae, right, vies for the ball with Roma's Tammy Abraham during a Serie A match in Rome, Italy on Sunday. [XINHUA/YONHAP]

Napoli’s unstoppable winning streak continued on Sunday as Victor Osimhen's late volley led the Partenopei to a 1-0 win over Roma for their 11th straight victory across all competitions.

It may have been a low-scoring affair at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, but Osimhen’s 80th minute effort was more than worth the wait for the fans on the road. Hammering in a half volley from a seemingly impossible angle, the Nigerian edged out Chris Smalling and beat Rui Patricio to give Napoli year another three points.

Although the one goal didn’t come until the very end of the game, Napoli were as characteristically in control as they have been in every game this season. The Partenopei had 60 percent of the ball, 12 shots and five on target, while José Mourinho’s Roma only got six shots off, none of them anywhere near the goal.

For Kim Min-jae and the Napoli back line it was the first outing without allowing a single goal in over a month, since a 3-0 win against Rangers in a Champions League clash on Sept. 14.

The Partenopei have now won 11 straight games across all competitions and remain undefeated in Serie A this season. Napoli, Real Madrid and Paris St-Germain are the only unbeaten teams in Europe's top five leagues.

The Naples club have racked up nine wins and two draws in Serie A so far this season, with both draws coming fairly early on — against Fiorentina on Aug. 28 and Lecce on Aug. 31. The club has also racked up a huge goal difference, scoring 26 goals in 11 games and only conceding nine for a goal difference of 17.

Napoli will be back in action on Wednesday in a Champions League clash against Rangers. Napoli have already earned a spot in the knockout stage despite having two games still left to play, leaving them with nothing left to achieve in the group stage except prevent Liverpool — who beat Rangers 7-1 two weeks a go — from sneaking up to the top spot.

BY JIM BULLEY [[email protected]]