Milan-Napoli 0-1
NETWORKS: 5′ pt Lukaku, 43′ pt Kvaratskhelia.
MILAN (4-2-3-1): Maignan 6; Emerson Royal 5 (17′ st Pulisic 5.5), Thiaw 5, Pavlovic 5, Terracciano 5.5; Fofana 5, Musah 5; Chukwueze 6, Loftus-Cheek 5 (42′ st Camarda sv), Okafor 5 (17′ st Leao 6.5); Morata 5.5. On the bench: Sportiello, Torriani, Tomori, Calabria, Bartesaghi, Jimenez, Zeroli, Liberali. Coach: Fonseca 5.5.
NAPLES (4-3-3): Meret 6.5; Di Lorenzo 6.5, Rrahmani 6, Buongiorno 6, Olivera 7; Anguissa 6.5 (49′ st Zerbin sv), Gilmour 6.5 (49′ st Folorunsho sv), McTominay 6.5; Politano 6 (24′ st Mazzocchi 6), Lukaku 7.5 (32′ st Simeone sv), Kvaratskhelia 7.5 (32′ st Neres sv). On the bench: Caprile, Contini, Turi, Juan Jesus, Marin, Ngonge, Raspadori. Coach: Conte 7.
REFEREE: Columbus of Como 5.5.
NOTES: overcast sky; playing field in good condition. Warned: Olivera. Corners: 5-1 for Milan. Recovery: 1′; 6′.
A largely remodeled AC Milan was defeated at home by Napoli 2-0. They are the goals in the first half of Lukaku and Kvaratskhelia to decide the match in favor of the guests, who obtain their fifth success in a row and fly ever higher at the top of the Serie A standings. Antonio Conte’s Neapolitans only need 5 minutes to take the lead: Anguissa verticalizes for Lukaku, who gets in too far easily between the two opposing central defenders, he resists Pavlovic’s return and pierces Maignan with his left foot. The Rossoneri respond in the 18th minute, when Musah tries with a right-footed shot that goes just wide of Meret’s left. Two minutes later Chukwueze attempts a left-footed shot from long range, with Meret diving to clear it. In the 27th minute, the Neapolitans lose a bloody ball on the edge of their area, Musah comes in but sensationally misses the control of the ball and a few steps from the goalkeeper and the opportunity vanishes. However, in one of the moments of maximum push for the hosts, the 2-0 arrives. It is in the 43rd minute when Kvaratskhelia takes the ball on the left, comes back on the right taking advantage of a too soft double from Fofana and launches a curling shot towards the far post which Maignan is unable to reach. It is the goal that sends the two teams to the locker rooms.
At the start of the second half Morata immediately closed the gap with a header but the referee ruled it out for offside after the VAR signal. In the 17th minute Leao and Pulisic came onto the pitch, the latter not at his best due to gastroenteritis. After a long stalemate, Leao himself tries to get going in the 38th minute, finishing with a powerful right-footed shot which, however, finds Meret ready to lift over the crossbar. Two minutes later Chukwueze goes to the right, serves the ball in the center of the area but Pulisic shoots high. In the final there is room for Camarda to enter the field but the result will no longer change. Napoli takes the three points and consolidates their lead, rising to 25. Milan, however, remains in eighth position, -11 from the top.