At Stadio Maradona, Napoli comes one more step closer to become scudetto winners with a thumping win over Atalanta.
Due to Hirving Lozano’s muscular injury and the absence of Mario Rui, who was suspended after being dismissed against Empoli last month, Olivera continued to fill in at left back for Napoli, with Politano coming on as a right wing replacement. Osimhen started up front once more because Raspadori was still injured.
Gian Piero Gasperini made a number of adjustments to his stuttering side today, with top scorer Lookman being benched and Zapata receiving a rare start up front. Also added were Scalvini, Pasalic, and Ederson; the latter took Teun Koopmeiners’ place in midfield because the Dutchman hurt his thigh.
After Politano and Zielinski exchanged passes on the edge of the box and curled a shot at goal, earning a corner for Napoli, Musso had to dive to the bottom corner to stop Politano from scoring right away.
The Atalanta center-back hustled Osimhen off the ball inside his own area thanks to some tough defending from Djimsiti, and the opposition eventually won possession of the ball.
Ruggeri snagged the ball away from Napoli’s star striker, as Osimhen was crowded out in the right corner.
Rrahmani’s header from the edge of the area on Politano’s right-wing free-kick, which never really troubled Musso, was deflected over the crossbar.
Osimhen attempted to bring the ball down with his outstretched leg after failing to do so the first time. But because his boot was raised excessively, the striker received a yellow card.
Hojlund dribbled into space and delivered a cross towards the back post from the right side, but Pasalic couldn’t keep his header under control, and it flew well wide.
The Atalanta defence easily handled a corner kick from the left by Zielinski, but Kvaratskhelia received the ball and fired an aggressive shot at goal that was deflected behind for another corner kick. Prior to Anguissa seeing a shot charged down inside the area from another set-piece from Zielinski, Djimsiti had not completely cleared the area.
Kvaratskhelia dribbled in from the left touchline, dropped his shoulder, and caught two defenders off guard before he wriggled to the byline and fired a low shot at Musso. At the near post, he made a block with his chest.
Osimhen’s head was in close proximity to the penalty spot when Zielinski’s outswinging free-kick from the right struck him, but even at full extension, he could only have sent his attempt soaring over the crossbar.
Being aware of the threat, Musso dove to his left to block Politano’s devastating low strike. Osimhen attempted to control the ball on the ensuing kick, but Musso blocked his way before the referee signalled offside.
An amazing overhead kick from Osimhen inside the penalty area was stopped by Musso, who dove low to make the save, after Politano delivered a tantalising cross from the right.
Napoli never let up. Ederson successfully deflected a close-range shot from Zielinski before the ball came loose for Kvaratskhelia on the edge of the box. The Georgian international rushed his shot, which went more than a metre over the crossbar.
At hour mark, Kvaratskhelia received a pass from Osimhen on the edge of the area, typically shimmied past three opponents’ defenders before slamming the ball past Musso and into the goal giving Napoli the lead.
Olivera attempted to head in a corner from Elmas, but he was unable to do so with enough force. Atalanta eventually held off Napoli’s most recent attack when the referee blew for offside.
Rrahmani delivered a towering header that caused the ball to loop over Musso’s last-ditch effort and into the goal. Elmas had replaced Zielinski as the set-piece specialist, and it was his cross after a corner that led to the opportunity.
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