With a bit more problems than expected, Napoli caught their tenth win in a row as they beat Bologna 3-2 on Sunday night to retain the Serie A lead. The Partenopei‘s winning streak is currently the best in Europe.
However, it took goals from substitutes Hirving Lozano and Victor Osimhen for Napoli to bend Thiago Motta’s Bologna’s resistance, after the Rossoblu had taken the lead thanks to Joshua Zirkee’s first goal in Serie A and drawn level with Musa Barrow after Lozano’s goal.
Bologna are still winless in four games and just two points clear of the drop zone but today’s performance was a brave one to say the least.
The Rossoblu managed to keep Napoli at bay for the whole first half. They grew more confident by the minute and their pressure bore fruit on 41 minutes as Nicolas Dominguez picked Andrea Cambiaso in the box and the 22-year-old Italian offered Zirkee a great chance to find the back of the net – which he took full advantage of.
Bologna’s lead only lasted four minutes, though, as Juan Jesus found the right spot past Lukasz Skorupski with a perfectly-timed deflection from a corner kick.
Luciano Spalletti sent in Lozano and Osimhen after the restart and the Partenopei completed their comeback just four minutes later. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (another great performance for the Georgian starlet…) drew a save from Skorupski and Lozano was ready to pounce on the rebound, making it 2-1.
Napoli’s goalkeeper Alex Meret gift-wrapped Bologna their equalizer as he was caught by surprise by Musa Barrow’s seemingly harmless shot, which bounced past him and into the back of the net.
The Partenopei‘s reaction was furious and clearly evidenced the current gap between the two sides. Skorupski saved what he could as he palmed away an Osimhen’ header and punched away a Giovanni Di Lorenzo shooting attempt.
However, he couldn’t do anything when the big Nigerian was picked by Kvaratskhelia, making no mistake from close range.
Having found their third, Napoli progressively took control of the game. Piotr Zielinksi should have made it to the scorecard but his shooting attempt hit the crossbar. Lozano came close to bag a brace but was denied once again by Skorupski.
Bologna didn’t give up until the end and a late, ill-timed exit from Meret sent a chill down his coach’s and the Diego Maradona Stadium’s supporters’ spines. Despite the late scare, though, the score didn’t change. It was not a great day for the Napoli custodian but the Partenopei ultimately managed to pull it off once again.
MATCH SCORECARD
October 16, 2022 – Serie A 2022-2023 Round 10
NAPOLI – BOLOGNA 3-2
SCORERS: 41′ Zirkzee (B), 45′ Juan Jesus (N), 49′ Lozano (N), 51′ Barrow (B), 69′ Osimhen (N)
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NAPOLI (4-3-3): Meret, Di Lorenzo, Minjae, Jesus, Mario Rui (76′ Olivera), Ndombele (26′ st Elmas), Lobotka (82′ Demme), Zielinski, Politano (46′ Lozano), Raspadori (46′ Osimhen), Kvaratskhelia (Marfella, Sirigu, Gaetano, Elmas, Simeone, Zerbin, Zedadka, Ostigard, Zanoli) Coach: Spalletti |
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BOLOGNA (4-2-3-1): Skorupski; Posch (77′ Lykogiannis), Bonifazi, Lucumi, Cambiaso (44′ st De Silvestri); Ferguson, Medel (71′ Moro); Aebischer (77′ Sansone), Dominguez, Barrow; Zirkzee (Bardi, Raffaelli, Sosa, Soumaoro, Orsolini, Raimondo, Soriano, De Silvestri) Coach: Thiago Motta |
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Dominguez, Skorupski, Sansone, Lykogiannis (B); Added Time: 1st Half 0′, 2nd Half 4′
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