Napoli strengthened their grip on Serie A with an impressive 2-0 victory at AC Milan, extending their lead at the summit to seven points.
Romelu Lukaku marked his return to the San Siro with an early strike, breaking the deadlock after just five minutes. The former Inter Milan striker showcased his physical prowess by holding off Strahinja Pavlovic before dispatching a clinical finish into the bottom corner.
Despite Milan creating several opportunities, testing Alex Meret multiple times, it was Napoli who struck again before the interval. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia enhanced the visitors’ advantage with a spectacular individual effort, weaving past multiple defenders on the left wing before curling an unstoppable shot beyond Mike Maignan.
The hosts thought they had found a way back into the match immediately after half-time when Alvaro Morata headed home, but the effort was disallowed for a narrow offside decision.
The victory takes Antonio Conte’s Napoli to 25 points, while AC Milan’s third defeat of the campaign leaves them languishing in eighth place, 11 points behind the leaders.
Napoli’s transformation under Conte has been remarkable since their opening day 3-0 defeat to Verona, where the manager famously remarked his team had “melted like snow in the sun.” The Partenopei have since embarked on a nine-game unbeaten run, securing eight victories and a solitary draw against Juventus.
Their defensive resilience has been particularly noteworthy, with eight clean sheets in ten matches. The latest shutout was secured through Meret’s five crucial saves and strong defensive performances from Amir Rrahmani and Alessandro Buongiorno.
The four-time Serie A-winning coach has instilled his trademark defensive organization in Naples, transforming a side that finished 39 points off the pace last season into serious title contenders once again.
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