14 goals for SSC Napoli were on the account of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia until Wednesday evening, the Georgian had to wait more than six months for his 15th goal. The relief after the victory over Udinese Calcio was great – and not only because of the goal.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia quickly earned the nickname “Kvaradona” in reference to club icon Diego Armando Maradona after his move in the summer of 2022. Within his first two competitive games for SSC, the Georgian had scored three times, followed by goal number four on matchday five of pre-season. Up until matchday 27, the 4-0 win at FC Torino, the dribbling left-winger continued to score at regular intervals, but a break followed on 19 March.
“Nervous” Kvaratskhelia waited 16 league games
Both in the ensuing season-long 16 Serie A fixtures and in a total of five appearances with the Georgian national team, Kvaratskhelia had failed to put the ball in the net. A long period of time that had also left its mark on the 22-year-old: “When you don’t score for six months, you get nervous,” he said after Napoli’s 4-1 win over Udinese Calcio. For a long time on Wednesday night, it looked as if Kvaratskhelia would have to wait for his six-month goal drought to end.
In the 68th minute, the Georgian visibly vented his fury after failing to hit the aluminium for the second time shortly before. But Napoli’s number 77 did not give up, created more chances and finally got his reward in the 74th minute when Kvaratskhelia’s class shone through. He chipped the ball over Udinese keeper Silvestri with great technical skill and then just had to slot the ball into the empty net.
Napoli close the gap to the top
“Now I’m back, I’m happy and I did the best I could for the team,” said the attacker, for whom the three points were the focus after Napoli’s bumpy start to the season. “It was important to win tonight. This success must give us the confidence to continue like this. We have to do our best to improve and play at our level,” continued the 24-time Georgian international
