The Serie A clash between Napoli and Sassuolo ended with a 1-0 win for the home side, thanks to an early strike from Stanislav Lobotka during the sixth minute. The goal, a result of an individual effort from the right side, saw the midfielder slot the ball into the net from inside the box.
Despite Sassuolo’s attempts to equalize, the visitors struggled with their finishing, registering a total of 20 shots, but only 14 were on target, while 6 went astray.
Lobotka’s impressive performance earned him the title of man of the match, as he not only scored the decisive goal but also showcased his overall contribution throughout the game. Another standout for Napoli was goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic Savic, who made four critical saves to maintain the clean sheet.
Manager Cristian Stellini opted for a 3-6-1 formation, deploying Milinkovic Savic in goal; with a defensive line consisting of Sam Beukema, Amir Rrahmani, and Juan Jesus; a midfield featuring Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Stanislav Lobotka, Scott McTominay, Leonardo Spinazzola, Antonio Vergara, and Eljif Elmas; as well as Rasmus Hojlund leading the attack.
Sassuolo, directed by Fabio Grosso, employed a 4-3-3 formation, with Arijanet Muric between the posts; a defense made up of Sebastian Walukiewicz, Jay Idzes, Tarik Muharemovic, and Josh Doig; a midfield trio of Luca Lipani, Nemanja Matic, and Aster Vranckx; and forwards Alieu Fadera, Andrea Pinamonti, and Armand Laurienté.
The match at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium was officiated by referee Francesco Fourneau.
Looking ahead, Napoli is set to face Juventus in their next match, while Sassuolo will host Cremonese. Currently, Napoli sits in third place with 43 points, while Sassuolo remains in 12th position with 23 points.
Substitutions for Napoli
55’ 2H – Sam Beukema replaced by Noa Lang, Eljif Elmas replaced by Matteo Politano
61’ 2H – Antonio Vergara replaced by Pasquale Mazzochi
66’ 2H – Amir Rrahmani replaced by Alessandro Buongiorno
Substitutions for Sassuolo
53’ 2H – Aster Vranckx replaced by Edoardo Iannoni
80’ 2H – Josh Doig replaced by Woyo Coulibaly, Alieu Fadera replaced by Laurs Skjellerup
88’ 2H – Andrea Pinamonti replaced by Walid Cheddira, Luca Lipani replaced by Luca Moro
Cautions for Sassuolo:
7’ 2H Aster Vranckx (Unsportsmanlike conduct), 18’ 2H Fabio Grosso (Insulting or disapproving of the referee), 39’ 2H Edoardo Iannoni (Unsportsmanlike conduct)