Nigerian forward, Victor Osimhen, scored thrice in 16 minutes as Napoli, on the road, thrashed Sassuolo 6-1 in their Italian Serie A fixture to end the Gli Azzurri’s four-game winless run on Wednesday evening.

Seventeen minutes into the match, Sassuolo launched the first strike as Uros Racic put the hosts ahead after the midfielder fired a loose ball into the bottom-right corner of the net.

Amir Rrahmani started the crusade against 

Sassuolo after he equalised for Napoli in the 29th minute before Victor Osimhen, assisted by Matteo Politano, put Napoli ahead for the first time two minutes later. 

Five minutes before the halftime break, Osimhen scored again to extend Napoli’s lead courtesy of another assist from Politano to the reigning African footballer of the year, who chipped the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.

Osimhen completed his second-ever Serie A hat-trick inside the first two minutes of the second half after Ruan Tressoldi’s wrong pass went directly into the legs of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who immediately passed to the Nigerian.

Meanwhile, Kvaratskhelia would go on to score twice in the 51st and 75th minute to crown the emphatic victory for Napoli, who have struggled to gain form this season.

Osimhen has now scored five goals in three games since returning from national team duty with Super Eagles at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.