Tribal Football

Napoli leave it late but find way past Udinese in Serie A

Sunil Midda
Lukaku celebrates goal
Lukaku celebrates goalTribalfootball
Napoli’s pursuit for a second Serie A title in three years continues after they came from behind to earn a vital 3-1 win away to Udinese, keeping the Partenopei two points behind Atalanta.

With Atalanta winning earlier on in the afternoon, Napoli knew three points were vital to remain within touching distance of the league leaders, and Antonio Conte’s men got off to a dominant start, with 75% possession in the opening 15 minutes.

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The early pressure presented a glorious opportunity to open the scoring but Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s cross to the back post was fired high and wide by an unmarked David Neres. The Brazilian winger was the most threatening Napoli player, as he drove into the box and looked to fire into the far corner but his shot travelled inches wide of the post.

Udinese took a while to get going, but a high press on the Napoli backline almost paid dividends as after nicking the ball, Florian Thauvin flashed a shot over the bar.

The Frenchman was then presented with an opportunity to break the deadlock from the penalty spot, when midway through the half, Stanislav Lobotka was penalised for a handball in the box.

Thauvin’s spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Alex Meret, but the goalkeeper could do nothing to stop the Udinese man from following up on the rebound.

Napoli rarely threatened to equalise before the break, with Razvan Sava palming away an Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa strike, which proved to be their only real chance. 

Conte sent his players out fired up for the second half with a change of momentum visibly clear, and the Partenopei made it count, equalising within five minutes of the restart.

Scott McTominay split the Udinese defence with a sublime pass, sending Romelu Lukaku through on goal, and the Belgian talisman showed incredible strength to shrug off an opposition defender before slotting the ball past Sava.

 

 

Napoli did not sit back after drawing level, as instead, the visitors continued to press forward for a second. 

Neres was proving dangerous down the left flank and it was the Brazilian who repaid his manager’s faith to replace the injured Khvicha Kvaratskhelia after he went on a mazy run into the box and his shot was deflected in for an OG from Lautaro Giannetti.

The game was wrapped up in the 81st minute after Anguissa showed incredible pace and power to break through the Udinese backline and slide the ball home.

That two-goal advantage proved pivotal, as Udinese, who struggled to lay a glove on Napoli in the second half, failed to even threaten to cut the deficit, giving the visitors a fifth win in seven away league games.