Serie A: Napoli Extends Lead with Victory Over AC Milan
Napoli increased their lead at the top of the Serie A table to seven points with a 2-0 win at AC Milan on Tuesday. Antonio Conte’s revitalized squad secured the match in the first half, thanks to an early goal from Romelu Lukaku and a stunning strike by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Currently sitting on 25 points, Napoli holds a significant advantage over Inter Milan, who are on 18 points but have a chance to close the gap when they face Empoli on Wednesday. Meanwhile, AC Milan’s third defeat of the season leaves them in eighth place, 11 points adrift of the leaders.
Lukaku opened the scoring just five minutes in, converting a pass from Frank Anguissa with a composed finish past AC Milan’s goalkeeper, Mike Maignan. Napoli’s Alex Meret was called into action multiple times before the half-hour mark to preserve the lead.
As halftime approached, Kvaratskhelia doubled Napoli’s advantage with a powerful shot from distance after cutting in from the left wing. Although Alvaro Morata thought he had pulled one back for Milan shortly after the break, his goal was disallowed for offside following a VAR review.
AC Milan continued to press for a response, but a brilliant reflex save by Meret to deny Rafael Leao in the 83rd minute maintained Napoli’s two-goal cushion.
In other matches, Bologna climbed to 10th in the table with a 2-0 victory at Cagliari, while Lecce moved off the bottom with a 1-0 win over nine-man Verona, thanks to a goal from Patrick Dorgu.