Osimhen neutralized as Fiorentina shutdown Napoli's 100% start to the season

Napoli were unable to continue their perfect start to the Serie A season as they got held to a 0-0 scoreline in their third game of the season away at Fiorentina.

Despite the draw, Napoli moved to the top of the Serie A, in a game that saw Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen prevented from conjuring anything by the Fiorentina defence.

The result also dashed Napoli's hopes of them maxing their opening trio in three straight top-flight campaigns for the first time ever.

Neither side was able to settle into an attacking rhythm, with chances scarce in the first half. 

The hosts looked the likelier to open the scoring in the early minutes, and they came close when Giacomo Bonaventura saw his shot from just outside the area fly agonisingly wide of the right post.

Surprisingly for Napoli who are the league’s highest scorers this season, they managed just one shot in the opening half-hour, yet they looked to have taken the lead with half time approaching. 

Pierluigi Gollini failed to push the ball to safety, and Hirving Lozano knocked it to Victor Osimhen, who swept in from close range, but the linesman’s flag went up for offside, ensuring that the score will stay goalless at half-time.

In the early stages of the second 45 minutes, defender Amir Rrahami headed over the bar unmarked from a free-kick before Hirving Lozano saw his header fly just wide of the right post shortly after. 

Antonín Barak also had a great chance to open the scoring for Fiorentina but pulled his shot just wide of the right post.

Chances thinned as the seconds ticked by, and Napoli substitute Giacocmo Raspadori almost made it 1-0 inside the final 15 minutes, but his exquisite volley amounted to nothing.

At full-time, both sides were forced to share the spoils, with Napoli heading to the summit of the league, and Fiorentina settling for 9th.