Napoli edged past Venezia with a narrow 1-0 victory on Sunday at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, boosting their chances of clinching the Serie A title this season. The Partenopei’s triumph came from Giacomo Raspadori, who scored the winning goal just nine minutes after coming off the bench, sending the home crowd wild and lifting Napoli to joint top of the league alongside Atalanta.
The win gives Napoli 41 points, one more than defending champions Inter Milan, who have a game in hand. Meanwhile, Venezia remains struggling, holding onto second-to-last place with just 13 points. It was evident from the outset of the match at Maradona Stadium, where the local favorites aimed to maximize their scoring opportunities.
Despite being dominant, Napoli found it difficult to impose their will early on. They missed several chances, including a penalty saved by Venezia’s goalkeeper, Filip Stankovic. The penalty was awarded when Jay Idzes handled the ball, but Romelu Lukaku, who took the spot-kick, saw his powerful strike miraculously parried by Stankovic.
Raspadori's goal came after sustained pressure from Napoli throughout the game. After nearly breaking the deadlock on multiple occasions, the breakthrough finally arrived in the 79th minute. David Neres, who had returned to the lineup after recovering from flu symptoms, sent over a cross which deflected fortuitously to Raspadori. The young striker unleashed his shot, slamming it home to secure the three points for Luciano Spalletti's side.
Prior to this, Napoli had been relentless, with opportunities falling to Amir Rrahmani and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, both of whom were denied by the impressive Stankovic. Napoli's sustained attack had looked promising, yet they lacked the finishing touch until Raspadori made his impact felt when it mattered most.
Venezia, who had come off the back of three unbeaten matches, started brightly but found themselves increasingly on the back foot. They came close to taking the lead with John Yeboah's attempt, which was heroically saved by Napoli’s goalkeeper Alex Meret.
Controversy hung over the game with Lukaku’s missed penalty, as it marked only the second time he failed to convert from the spot, with his previous miss dating back to November 2023. Nevertheless, Napoli kept pressing forward and created more chances after the halftime, with Lukaku hitting the woodwork on one occasion.
Notably, Raspadori’s return to form could not have come at a more opportune time. Amidst speculation over his future at Napoli, after minimal starting opportunities under coach Antonio Conte, he might have provided validation to his status at the club with this match-winning performance.
This victory has significant ramifications for the Serie A standings and underlines Napoli’s championship aspirations. With Atalanta held to a draw earlier, this victory allowed Napoli to leapfrog their rivals to join the top, setting up what promises to be an exciting run toward the end of the season.
On the gloomy side for Venezia, they are now facing severe relegation concerns, stuck at just 13 points, three points clear of Monza below them. Coach Eusebio Di Francesco, who once rejoiced over their unbeaten streak, now faces reality as the squad continues to struggle under pressure.
The match summed up Napoli’s season so far: intense, unpredictable, yet rewarding. With seven home victories already, they've set their eyes on securing more wins to challenge for the Scudetto this year, having only achieved six home wins throughout the entire last season.
With the squad gaining confidence and fortitude, Napoli may well be on their way to capturing their first title win since 1990, should they maintain this momentum. For now, they enjoy the taste of this victory, galvanizing their path moving forward.