Napoli bounce back and stay in contact with the lead – Chi.com

Winners of Hellas Verona (2-1), the Partenopei temporarily regain second place in Serie A and come back to three points behind AC Milan, leader.

© AFP
Author of a double, Victor Osimhen was again decisive.

The home defeat against AC Milan (0-1) had hurt but Naples reacted well by winning on the field of Hellas Verona (2-1) thanks to a double from Victor Osimhen, Sunday during the 29th day. Napoli (60 points) remains three lengths behind the leader rossonero, winner on Saturday of Empoli (1-0). Luciano Spalletti’s team is even provisionally second pending the evening match of Inter Milan (58 points) at Torino (11th).

Osimhen opened the scoring with an authoritative header from a cross from Matteo Politano (14th) then doubled the lead from close range on a setback offering from the side Giovanni Di Lorenzo (71st). These eighth and ninth league goals from the Nigerian striker, who remained on the pitch despite pain in his right shoulder, came after two throw-ins on the right on which the Veronals were a little light.

Hellas, much more biting in the second half, started to believe it again when Davide Faraoni reduced the score with a header (77th). But the severe exclusion (second warning) of Federico Ceccherini for a hand cut his wings (83rd).

With this defeat, aggravated by a second red for Faraoni after the final whistle, Verona (9th) lost contact with the battle for Europe (up to 7th place). He is five points behind Fiorentina (8th), who beat a Bologna reduced to ten (1-0).

Ahead of the match, Hellas condemned on Twitter any “act, gesture or expression that could incite hatred, violence and discrimination” after the appearance near the stadium, the night before the match, of a banner aimed at Naples. This banner, signed “South turn”, alluded to the war in Ukraine and seemed to suggest making Naples a target for bombing, with the mention of the geographical coordinates of the capital of Campania.