Napoli's aspirations for regaining the Serie A title took a significant hit on Sunday as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Como, dropping them from the top of the table and allowing Inter Milan to assume the leadership.
The loss came during the 26th round of the Serie A, where the visiting team, coached by Antonio Conte, faced adversity against Como at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium. Napoli, who had been vying for top honors, found themselves unable to convert their possession and control over the game to meaningful outcomes.
Events took a dramatic turn shortly after the kickoff when Napoli's Amir Rrahmani inadvertently opened the scoring for Como with a bizarre own goal. The defensive player, under pressure from Como's Assane Diao, mishit his pass back to goalkeeper Alex Meret, sending the ball straight past him and drawing gasps from the visiting supporters. The score was 1-0 to Como just seven minutes in.
Napoli, undeterred by the setback, quickly equalized through Giacomo Raspadori. Just ten minutes after the own goal, Raspadori capitalized on the disarray within the Como defense, stealing the ball from Marc-Oliver Kempf and coolly slotting it home to make it 1-1. This goal revitalized Napoli, as their momentum momentarily shifted.
Despite having the bulk of possession – over 60 percent – throughout the first half, Napoli struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against the resolute Como defense. Although they looked threatening at times, key chances went begging. Their difficulties highlighted the home side's determined display, which gradually turned the tide.
The second half saw Como regain their composure and begin dictation of the game's rhythm. Their efforts bore fruit when Assane Diao struck again at the 63rd minute, following a well-crafted move involving Nico Paz. Diao sidestepped Napoli's defenders and launched a precise shot to the bottom left corner, leaving Meret with little chance to respond. Now 2-1, Como had the edge as they utilized their chances far more efficiently.
Napoli’s attempts to claw back the game led to several close calls, including appeals for a penalty after what appeared to be handball by Como's defenders, but the referee waved them off. McTominay had nearly altered the scoreline with another chance late on but failed to find the target, summing up Napoli's frustrating afternoon.
With this defeat, Napoli remains second on the Serie A table with 56 points, one point shy of the new leaders, Inter Milan, who defeated Genoa 1-0 the previous day, boosted by Lautaro Martínez's goal.
The seriousness of Napoli's situation is amplified by the fact they have not registered a win in their last four league matches, which is their worst streak this season. Meanwhile, Como has made significant strides, moving up to 13th place with 28 points and distancing themselves from the relegation zone.
Looking forward, Napoli faces another formidable obstacle next weekend when they host the current leaders Inter Milan at the iconic Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. This match is set to be pivotal, not only for the title race but also for Napoli's determination to return to winning ways.
The challenge against Inter is particularly significant, as earlier encounters this season ended in a 1-1 draw. With the stakes now higher, both teams will be primed to deliver their best performances.
On the other hand, Como will be aiming to build on this unexpected victory when they visit Roma next Sunday, seeking to consolidate their mid-table position and avoid any slip back toward the relegation zone.
With both teams facing high-pressure matches next week, the outcome promises to be fascinating as the Serie A title race heats up.