Reigning champions Napoli have finally put together an explosive performance reminiscent of their Serie A title run last season.
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Superstar striker Victor Osimhen scored a hat trick as the struggling southern club routed relegation-threatened Sassuolo 6-1 on Wednesday.
Their first victory under new coach Francesco Calzona, the win moved ninth-placed Napoli level on points with Lazio in eighth, and back into the discussion for European qualification.
Calzona, Napoli's third coach this season, was hired to replace the fired Walter Mazzarri last week and had overseen draws with Barcelona in the Champions League and Cagliari in Serie A.
Sassuolo, third from bottom, extended their winless run to seven in their first game under their own new coach - Emiliano Bigica, who replaced the fired Alessio Dionisi on Sunday.
Sassuolo drew first blood, going ahead early when Uros Racic scored with a long-range, curving effort after 17 minutes.
Napoli defender Amir Rrahmani equalised on 29 minutes, before Osimhen - whose goals fired Napoli to the title last season - ripped the heart out of Sassuolo, finding the net three times in little more than quarter of an hour.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia added two more, scoring in the 51st and 75th minutes to complete the rout.
Osimhen became the third Napoli player to score at least 10 goals in four consecutive seasons, after Diego Maradona (1984-85 to 1987-88) and Attila Sallustro (1929-30 to 1932-33).
He has now scored five times over three matches in seven days since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, where he helped Nigeria reach the final.
Inter Milan extended their perfect start to 2024 with a 4-0 win over in-form Atalanta, boost their lead over Juventus at the top of Serie A to 12 points.
Matteo Darmian and Lautaro Martinez scored first-half goals as Inter won their 11th straight across all competitions this year and ended Atalanta's 10-match unbeaten run.
Federico Dimarco added another for Inter early in the second half and Davide Frattesi made it 4-0 with 20 minutes remaining.
Inter also beat Lecce and Salernitana by the score of 4-0 in its previous two league matches.
Atalanta remain fifth, two points behind Bologna.
Both matches were rescheduled from last month when Napoli and Inter were in Saudi Arabia for the Italian Super Cup, which Inter won.
Australian Associated Press
