Napoli conquers the Stadio Olimpico-Grande Torino with a goal from McTominay and remains firmly at the top of Serie A, four points ahead of the chasing group composed of Atalanta, Inter, Fiorentina and Lazio. The decisive goal comes in the 31st minute of the first half, allowing the Azzurri to climb to 32 points, awaiting the next key matches of the weekend.
The start of the match was marked by intense pressure from both sides. After just four minutes, Adams almost gave Torino the lead with a header that ended just wide. Shortly after, Lukaku created havoc in the opponent's area but failed to finish effectively. The chances continued to come: Kvaratskhelia wasted an opportunity in the 18th minute, while Milinkovic-Savic, the Granata goalkeeper, repeatedly denied Napoli's attempts.
The goal came in the 31st minute thanks to an overwhelming action by Kvaratskhelia who, after a dribble in the area, served McTominay. The Scot controlled and quickly shot to the near post, beating Milinkovic-Savic and giving Napoli the lead. Torino came close to equalizing six minutes later: Sanabria served Adams, who in turn found Coco, but the latter stumbled dramatically on the ball a few steps from the goal.
The second half opens with the exit of Pedersen, replaced by Lazaro, and Torino tries to react with Vojvoda, who in the 4th minute gets a corner thanks to a deflection. The Granata show will, but the Neapolitan defense resists, while Napoli continues to create dangers on the counterattack. In the 12th minute, Lukaku serves Politano with a backheel after a personal action, but the winger only gets a corner.
Despite Vanoli's attempts to revitalize the team with several changes, Torino struggle to find space. In the 33rd minute, Karamoh, who had just come on, shoots weakly and Meret saves without problems. Napoli almost doubles the lead in injury time with Simeone, but Milinkovic-Savic saves his team once again with a decisive save. The final whistle seals an important victory for the men of Antonio Conte, who extend their lead in the standings, while Torino, with their fourth defeat in their last five matches, continues to slide, stopping in eleventh place on equal points with Parma.
Article published on 1 December 2024 - 17:02
And it's a good result for Napoli who continues to win, but Torino should do more to get out of this bad situation. The changes don't seem to work and there are too many wasted opportunities.