Kolkata: Marek Hamsik on Saturday scored his 116th goal across all competitions to overtake legendary footballer Diego Maradona as Napoli’s all-time leading goal scorer.
Facing Sampdoria, the 30-year-old Slovakian attacking midfielder scored the winning goal to hand 10-men Napoli a 3-2 win that carried them to top of the table with 45 points from 18 matches.
Earlier, it was Sampdoria who had taken the lead as early as the second minute when Gaston Ramirez scored from one bullet of a shot. Allan soon made it 1-1 from point blank range in the 16th minute.
However, the visitors once again took the lead through Fabio Quagliarella who converted from the spot in the 27th minute. Six minutes later Napoli restored parity for a second time with Lorenzo Insigne scoring from a volley.
The captain then took matters in his own hands scoring from a close range shot to give his side a 3-2 advantage heading into the second-half.
Hamsik who scored his first goal for ‘Gli Azzurri’ 10 years ago in 2017 after making debut as a 20-year-old surpassed Maradona’s tally after playing over 350 matches for the club.
Maradona meanwhile had taken just seven years to score his 115 goals between 1984-1991 leading Napoli to two Scudetto titles during his time at the club.
Although yet to win a Serie A title unlike his predecessor, Hamsik has however led Napoli to two Coppa Italia (2011–12 and 2013–14) and a Supercoppa Italiana in 2014. Currently top of the table ‘Partenopei’ look the favourites to break their league title drought this season.
Coming as a youngstar at Napoli, the Slovakian midfielder who won the Serie A young footballer of the year in 2008 has now gone on to become the club’s captain.
A six time Slovak footballer of the year, the 30-year-old had the most assist in the league twice in 2012 and 2014 and has made it to the Serie A team of the year thrice in his 10 year stay at the club so far.