Napoli Striker Osimhen Out with Thigh Injury

Napoli's Victor Osimhen fails to score from a penalty kick during the group A Champions League match between Napoli and Liverpool at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022. (AP)
Napoli's Victor Osimhen fails to score from a penalty kick during the group A Champions League match between Napoli and Liverpool at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022. (AP)
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Napoli Striker Osimhen Out with Thigh Injury

Napoli's Victor Osimhen fails to score from a penalty kick during the group A Champions League match between Napoli and Liverpool at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022. (AP)
Napoli's Victor Osimhen fails to score from a penalty kick during the group A Champions League match between Napoli and Liverpool at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022. (AP)

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen will miss the Italian team's home fixture with Spezia on Saturday with a thigh injury, the Serie A club announced.

In a statement, Napoli said that the Nigeria forward had hurt the femoral bicep in his right thigh, an injury suffered in the first half of Wednesday's 4-1 hammering of Liverpool in Naples.

The 23-year-old was substituted four minutes before half-time in the Champions League win at the Stadio Maradona and replaced by recent signing Giovanni Simeone.

Osimhen is expected to be out until at least after this month's international break.

He will almost certainly also miss next week's Champions League trip to Scottish club Rangers and their clash with title rivals AC Milan the following Sunday.



Japan Qualify for BJK Cup Finals with Win Over Canada

Japan's Moyuka Uchijima levelled the tie when she breezed through the second match against Canadian Marina Stakusic, winning 6-3, 6-3 - AFP
Japan's Moyuka Uchijima levelled the tie when she breezed through the second match against Canadian Marina Stakusic, winning 6-3, 6-3 - AFP
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Japan Qualify for BJK Cup Finals with Win Over Canada

Japan's Moyuka Uchijima levelled the tie when she breezed through the second match against Canadian Marina Stakusic, winning 6-3, 6-3 - AFP
Japan's Moyuka Uchijima levelled the tie when she breezed through the second match against Canadian Marina Stakusic, winning 6-3, 6-3 - AFP

Japan became the seventh team to book their place at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals when they came from behind to beat Canada 2-1 in Tokyo on Sunday.

Victory in the doubles put them top of Group A and means they will be heading to Shenzhen in September to join hosts China, defending champions Italy and fellow qualifying group winners Ukraine, Spain, Great Britain and Kazakhstan.

The one remaining place will go to either Slovakia or USA, who meet in Bratislava later on Sunday, AFP reported.

Canada and Japan had both blanked Romania 3-0 in their opening matches, setting up the head-to-head finale which was played out in front of a noisy Tokyo crowd.

The Canadians made the better start with Victoria Mboko edging Ena Shibahara over three sets, 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 7-5.

Moyuka Uchijima then levelled the tie when she breezed through the second match against Marina Stakusic, winning 6-3, 6-3.

That left everything on the doubles where Japan could call on the experienced Shuko Aoyama, now 37, and Eri Hozumi against Rebecca Marino and Kayla Cross.

The Japanese took the first set 6-3 but the Canadians hit back strongly to lead 5-1 in the second, at which point they wobbled, losing four games in a row.

They held their nerve to break again and take the set 7-5 but were immediately in trouble in the decider when Marino was broken.

As pressure mounted and errors crept into the Canadians' game, the Japanese pair turned the screw to see out a 6-2 final set which qualified them for the China showpiece.

The BJK Cup qualifiers featured six groups of three nations with the winners booking a ticket to the eight-team final tournament.