Napoli suffers, concedes the advantage of Verona signed by Coppola but then recovers. The Italian club’s match against Maradona ends 2-1, thanks to goals from new signing Ngonge and Kvaratshelia’s splendid shot at the end.
An important victory for the Azzurri, chasing fourth place. Verona, for their part, defended well and took the first part of the second half to take the lead, but suffered an attack from the Azzurri towards the end. The start is with Mazzarri’s Napoli who find the 4-3-3 with the game that works. Lobotka manages to free himself by managing the ball and the wings work with the championship duos Rui-Kvaratskhelia on the left and Di Lorenzo-Politano on the right.
However, Verona had a very tight defense, with Duda and Serdar completing the back four, and the flanks well guarded. The first sharp one comes in the 7th minute when Kvaratskhelia dribbles and enters the area, but falls in contact with Cabal who touches the knee of the Italian winger and sends the ball into the corner. Blue protests but there is no penalty for the referee. Kvaratskhelia alternates between the wing and the centre, and tries a shot in the 10th minute following an assist from Lobotka, but is met with a great save from Montipò. The Georgian tries again 3′ later: the Veronese defense clears out a corner and he volleys, finding another excellent response from the Veronese goalkeeper.
Napoli continues to press, holding 77% of ball possession in the first half, but Verona’s defense holds with great precision and the attackers are increasingly ready to launch the counterattack, as happens in the 42nd minute when Verona steals the ball from Cajuste and throws the ball forward which arrives in the area: Folorunsho tries to heel it but sends it out. Shortly afterwards comes another counterattack from Verona, started well by Suslov with the ball to Noslin and an assist for Lazovic who however shoots out. In the second half Verona started strong, trying in the 2nd minute with a perfect free kick from Duda to Coppola just a stone’s throw from the goal, who volleyed it out.
A minute later it’s Lazovic’s turn to hit a great shot from outside the area but Gollini clears it for a corner, which Cabal then heads just wide. Napoli does not find a fast pace in the attack against the well-closed and orderly Veronese defense. In the 10th minute Lobotka gives it to Juan Jesus in the area, assists Simeone who shoots at the goalkeeper from two steps. Mazzarri tries new cards by fielding the newcomer Ngonge and Lindstrom for Politano and Cajuste, but the first part of the second half is in the hands of Verona who manages the ball and puts the Azzurri defense under pressure.
And in fact in the 27th minute Verona took the lead: a perfect free kick from Suslov and a header and shoulder from Coppola that beat Gollini. Napoli tries to wake up, Lindstrom assists Mazzocchi, shot blocked by the usual Montipò and ball to Lindstrom but saved again. It’s an awakening that works in the 32nd minute when Lindstrom enters the area, dribbles past Duda and gives the ball to Ngonge who equalises. Napoli attack, Anguissa tries from afar, then Kvaratskhelia assists Simeone who makes a mistake in the area. The goal came 3′ into the 90′ when Mazzocchi intercepted the ball from a pass from Tchachoua and gave it to Kvaratskhelia: a perfect shot from outside the area into the top corner.