Simy Nwankwo suffers relegation again as Benevento move down to Serie C

Simy Nwankwo stole the show against AC Milan at San Siro from the bench.

Simy Nwankwo suffers relegation again as Benevento move down to Serie C

Ayoola Kelechi 08:34 - 14.05.2023

Four-time Nigeria international Simy Nwankwo has suffered relegation from the Italian second division with Benevento only two years after setting the record for the most goals by a Nigerian in one Serie A season

Nigerian forward Simy Nwankwo faced the grim prospect of relegation for the second time in three seasons, as current club Benevento failed to beat the drop in Serie B despite beating Modena in their last match. 

Benevento relegated to Serie C

Nwankwo is currently on loan from Salernitana to Benevento but has been unable to rediscover the form that saw him score 20 Serie A goals in the 2020/21 season with Crotone, setting a record at the time for the most number of goals for a Nigerian forward in a single season in the Italian top flight. 

var widgetLoaderConfig = widgetLoaderConfig || { CDN_URL: 'https://widgets.sportal365.com', APP_LINK: 'desktop', API_URL: 'https://africa.football.api.sportal365.com/', API_KEY: '2f852b4de2f3a5cf3188e74b33087bb4:2c18422f8e826a7d11aeed52edb2449e', LANG: 'en', REQUEST_INTERVAL: 30, ENABLE_BET_SLIP: false, AUTHOR: false, THEME: "light", TOURNAMENT_ORDER: "pulse_nigeria", LINK_OPTIONS_V2: { 'player' : { 'url': '/football/player/{playerId}' }, 'team' : { 'url': '/football/{teamId}' }, 'tournament': { 'url': '/football/competition/{tournamentId}' }, 'match': { 'url' : '/football/match/{matchId}', 'sort': { 'criteria': 'alphabetically', 'direction': 'asc' } }, 'configuration': { 'newWindow': false }, 'standings_tournament': { 'url': '/football/competition/{tournamentId}/standings' } } }; if (!document.querySelector('script[src="https://widgets.sportal365.com/loader.bundle.min.js"]')) { window.setTimeout(function () { let scriptCss = document.createElement('link'); scriptCss.href = 'https://www.pulsesports.co.ke/css/sport-widgets.css?v=1668785443'; scriptCss.rel = 'stylesheet'; scriptCss.type = 'text/css'; document.body.appendChild(scriptCss); let scriptTag = document.createElement('script'); scriptTag.src = 'https://widgets.sportal365.com/loader.bundle.min.js'; scriptTag.defer = true; scriptTag.onload = function () { window.setTimeout(function () { new SMPWidgetsLoader(widgetLoaderConfig); }, 200); }; document.head.appendChild(scriptTag); }, 0); } else { new SMPWidgetsLoader(widgetLoaderConfig); }

So far, the Nigerian target man has been unable to find the back of the net for Benevento in Serie B, and his lack of goals this term has been impactful in the team’s relegation as they are currently the side with the second-fewest goals in the league this season, ahead of only Cosenza, who are also fighting for safety. 

Nwankwo expected to return to Salernitana

Nwankwo’s commitment to the team has been questioned in recent weeks, and the forward has not played for Benevento since ditching the team without permission to watch compatriot Victor Osimhen in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second-leg for Napoli against AC Milan. 

Simy Nwankwo playing for Benevento this season
Simy Nwankwo has scored only two league goals across three clubs since the start of the 2021/22 seasoon

The 31-year-old forward is believed to be struggling with injury concerns that controversially started after the Champions League incident, but the nature of the injury is still unknown, as is the true impact of his visit to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. 

Nwankwo is expected to leave Benevento in the summer and return to parent club Salernitana in the Serie A next season. 

Related content