Napoli grew their lead on the prime of the Serie A desk to seven factors with a 2-0 win at AC Milan on Tuesday. Antonio Conte’s resurgent aspect wrapped the match up inside the primary half, courtesy of an early Romelu Lukaku purpose and a sensational strike by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Napoli sit on 25 factors, with champions Inter Milan on 18 however with the possibility to cut back the hole after they go to Empoli on Wednesday. A 3rd defeat of the marketing campaign leaves AC Milan in eighth place, 11 factors behind the leaders.
Belgian striker Lukaku scored his fourth purpose of the season since becoming a member of the 2023 Italian champions in the summertime when he broke the impasse on 5 minutes.
He raced onto a cross from Frank Anguissa, held off a defender and slotted coolly previous Mike Maignan within the AC Milan purpose.
Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret was pressured twice into motion earlier than the half-hour to keep up his aspect’s lead.
As the clock ticked all the way down to half-time, Georgian winger Kvaratskhelia doubled the guests’ lead.
Picking the ball up on the left wing, he drove abruptly inside on his proper foot previous Youssouf Fofana and rifled a shot from distance into the far submit past the dive of Maignan.
Alvaro Morata thought he had given Milan a lifeline two minutes after the break with a strong header.
However, upon VAR evaluation he was proven to have been offside within the build-up to the purpose and it was disallowed.
The hosts continued to seek for a method again into the encounter and solely a high quality reflex save by Meret to disclaim Rafael Leao within the 83rd minute stored Napoli’s two-goal cushion intact.
Earlier, targets in both half by Riccardo Orsolini and Jens Odgaard despatched Bologna as much as tenth within the desk with a 2-0 win at Cagliari.
Lecce climbed off the foot of the desk by beating nine-men Verona 1-0 because of a Patrick Dorgu purpose on 51 minutes.
The away aspect misplaced Jackson Tchatchoua to a purple card 5 minutes earlier than half-time, then Reda Belahyane was given his marching orders inside the ultimate 10 minutes for a second bookable offence.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)