Napoli secured a thrilling victory over Juventus following a sequence of events that included a Kvicha Kvaratskhelia volley, a Federico Chiesa strike, and a saved penalty by Victor Osimhen, ultimately capitalized upon by Giacomo Raspadori’s swift reaction to a rebound.
Under their third coach of the season, Francesco Calzona, Napoli maintained an unbeaten streak, drawing with Barcelona and Cagliari before delivering a commanding 6-1 victory over Sassuolo. Notably, Cyril Ngonge and Jens Cajuste were sidelined due to injury, while Juventus faced absences from key players such as Adrien Rabiot, Weston McKennie, Moise Kean, Mattia Perin, and Mattia De Sciglio. Additionally, Paul Pogba received a four-year ban for doping, further impacting Juventus’ lineup. Consequently, Carlos Alcaraz made his debut start for Juventus, with Federico Chiesa returning from injury.
Early in the match, Alcaraz struggled to contain Samuel Iling-Junior, leading to a missed opportunity, while Dusan Vlahovic’s header narrowly missed the target following a lapse in defense by Matias Olivera. Vlahovic received a booking for a foul on Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, rendering him suspended for the subsequent match against Atalanta.
Despite Wojciech Szczesny’s save from a fierce Matteo Politano free kick and subsequent block of Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa’s attempt, Napoli maintained pressure. Andrea Cambiaso’s cross found Iling-Junior, whose volley narrowly missed the mark. Juventus also came close to scoring when Vlahovic capitalized on a through ball from Fabio Miretti but was denied by the woodwork.
In a tense moment, Napoli took the lead as Kvaratskhelia’s volley found the back of the net following a clearance by Bremer. However, Juventus had opportunities to level the score, notably when Vlahovic failed to convert a chance created by Meret’s error.
The match intensified when Chiesa equalized for Juventus, combining with Alcaraz before finding the net. Moments later, Napoli was awarded a penalty after Osimhen was fouled in the box, resulting in a VAR review. Although Szczesny saved Osimhen’s penalty, Raspadori capitalized on the rebound, securing Napoli’s lead. Despite Juventus’ efforts, including a missed chance by Daniele Rugani, Napoli held on for the win.
Napoli 2-1 Juventus