Napoli picked up where they left off before the international break, demolishing out-of-sorts Cagliari 4-0 at the Unipol Domus. Despite an emphatic scoreline, Sunday’s game in Sardinia wasn’t plain sailing for Antonio Conte’s charges.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo opened the scoring in the 18th minute. The Napoli captain scored with his weaker left foot after pouncing on Romelu Lukaku’s layoff on the edge of the box. The scoreline didn’t change until halftime, largely thanks to Alex Meret’s heroics between the sticks.
After wasting several promising opportunities to draw level, Cagliari fell apart after the break. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s strike midway through the second half was the beginning of the Islanders’ undoing. Romelu Lukaku went from assist provider to goalscorer on his first Napoli start.
The Belgian striker converted Kvaratskhelia’s cutback in the 70th minute to put the game to bed. But it wasn’t the end of Cagliari’s misery. Marquee defensive signing Alessandro Buongiorno put a fourth on the board for Napoli, capping off a scintillating victory for the Partenopei.
Without further ado, let’s look at our player ratings.
Napoli (3-4-2-1)
Alex Meret – 8
Who knows how the game would’ve gone if it weren’t for the Italian goalkeeper’s superb performance in goal? He made numerous acrobatic saves to register his second clean sheet of the season.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo – 7
Though he’s not used to scoring with his left foot, the Napoli captain chipped in with an all-important deadlock-breaker despite playing at the heart of Conte’s defense.
Amir Rrahmani – 6
You’d expect a player of his body posture to dominate in the air, but the Kosovo international fluffed his lines several times on either side of halftime.
Alessandro Buongiorno – 7
The goal helped improve the overall rate as the former Torino defender stuttered in the first half when Napoli had to rely on Meret to endure Cagliari’s siege.
Pasquale Mazzocchi – 6
There’s a feeling he can do everything but crossing. Despite completing countless darting runs down the right flank, none of his numerous attempts to pick out his teammates in the box was on the money.
Stanislav Lobotka – 6
Barring several erratic shots from distance, the diminutive midfielder fared reasonably well in possession and kept the Napoli engine room tick over in tumultuous times.
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa – 6.5
Tonight was perhaps the closest he got to the levels he was at during Napoli’s triumphant 2022/23 Serie A season. However, he still looked lackadaisical at times.
Leonardo Spinazzola – 6
It’s unfathomable how he makes wrong decisions every time. He dribbles past defenders, only to undo all good deeds with a poor final touch.
Matteo Politano – 6.5
Though you won’t see his name on the board, the left-footed winger worked his socks off to retain possession and bring his teammates into play.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – 8
There’s not much more Conte can expect from the Georgian superstar. After finishing with aplomb to give Napoli a comfortable two-goal lead, he tied up Lukaku with an unselfish pass.
Romelu Lukaku – 7.5
Despite several sloppy touches, the robust striker did what Napoli fans hoped he’d do – scored and assisted, taking his goal-contribution tally to four in only two matches.
Substitutes
Mathias Olivera – 6.5
Scott McTominay – 6
Billy Gilmour – 6
Giovanni Simeone – 5.5
David Neres – 7
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