Napoli Defeats Milan in Thrilling Serie A Clash
Napoli strengthened theirย Serie A titleย ambitions with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over AC Milan at the Diego Maradona Stadium. Early goals from Matteo Politano and Romelu Lukaku proved decisive, despite a late consolation from Luka Joviฤ. The win cuts Inter’s lead at the top to just three points, keeping Napoli firmly in theย Serie A titleย race.
Fast Start: Politano Fires Napoli Ahead
The hosts took the lead just two minutes in when Politano expertly controlled Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s defense-splitting pass and slotted home past Mike Maignan. Milan nearly equalized minutes later, but Tammy Abraham’s effort flew wide.
Napoli continued to dominate, with Politano nearly doubling the lead from a corner, but his deflected shot missed the target.
Lukaku Extends Lead as Milan Struggle
Lukaku made it 2-0 in the 19th minute, finishing coolly after a clever through ball from Billy Gilmour. Milan’s defense looked vulnerable, and Napoli could have added more before halftime.
Milan Fight Back But Waste Key Chance
The Rossoneri improved after the break, with Rafael Leรฃo causing problems down the left. Their best opportunity came in the 69th minute when Santiago Gimรฉnez stepped up for a penalty, but Alex Meret produced a superb save to deny him.
Joviฤ finally pulled one back in the 84th minute, tapping in Theo Hernรกndez’s cross, but Napoli held firm in the dying minutes to secure a vital three points.
Title Race Heats Up
With this win, Napoli (64 points) remain second, just three behind Inter. Milan, meanwhile, stay ninth with 47 points, their Champions League hopes fading.
Key Moments:
- โฝย 2′ย – Politano opens the scoring with a clinical finish.
- โฝย 19′ย – Lukaku doubles Napoli’s lead with a composed strike.
- โย 69′ย – Meret saves Gimรฉnez’s penalty to preserve Napoli’s lead.
- โฝย 84′ย – Joviฤ scores a late consolation for Milan.
Napoli’sย Serie A titleย challenge stays alive, while Milan’s top-four hopes suffer another blow.
