Osimhen scores twice as Napoli begins their title defense with a victory.

Victor Osimhen continued his scoring streak for Napoli with a brace in Saturday’s 3-1 win over promoted Frosinone, giving the champions a winning start to their Serie A championship defense.

Nigeria striker Osimhen scored in each half to help the champions come from behind to win in Rudi Garcia’s debut as coach after new Italy boss Luciano Spalletti resigned.

Napoli’s other goal came from Matteo Politano, who put the visitors back on equal terms midway through the first half after Abdou Harroui had given hosts Frosinone an early lead from the penalty spot.

“It was critical to get off to a good start… “The opponent gave us a very difficult time,” Osimhen told DAZN.

Osimhen scored 31 goals last season, including the game-winning goal, and he is negotiating a contract extension despite interest from clubs abroad.

“The president is in charge. We’re still discussing, so we’ll see what happens at the end of the transfer window,” remarked Osimhen, whose current contract expires in June 2025.

“But for now, I’m a Napoli player, which is the most important thing, and I will give my heart and soul to the team.”

Garcia faces a difficult task in defending Napoli’s first championship title since 1990, and things did not go his way at the Stadio Benito Stirpe.

In the seventh minute, Harroui converted home a penalty following a clumsy tackle by Jens Cajuste, who had a rough debut.

Cajuste had previously knocked down a pitchside photographer with an errant pre-match shot when, instead of clearing the ball, he booted Jaime Baez and conceded the penalty.

Napoli, who were missing injured star winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, were level when Politano pounced following pandemonium in the Frosinone area and smashed in a powerful left-footed shot that home goalkeeper Stefano Turati should have stopped.

The successor for Kvaratskhelia Giacomo Raspadori thought he had put Napoli ahead 10 minutes before halftime, but the goal was ruled off for Cajuste being offside early in the action.

However, Osimhen’s first goal of the season came in the 42nd minute, when Giovanni Di Lorenzo won the ball high up the pitch and feed last season’s Serie A top scorer, who slammed home a rocket of a first-time finish.

As energetic Frosinone tried to take the game to Napoli, Baez hit the crossbar with a free-kick in the 57th minute.

But, after being passed clear through by Di Lorenzo and coolly gliding past Turati, Osimhen clinched the points with 11 minutes remaining.

Later that day, Champions League finalists Inter Milan host Monza, while Italy striker Mateo Retegui makes his Serie A debut for promoted Genoa against Fiorentina.