In a tightly contested match at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium, Napoli emerged victorious over Sassuolo with a narrow 1-0 scoreline. The decisive goal was netted by Stanislav Lobotka just 6 minutes into the first half, breaking the deadlock.
Lobotka’s individual effort on the right side culminated in a powerful strike from inside the box that found the back of the net, setting the tone for the match.
Despite Sassuolo dominating the attacking chances with 20 total shots, they struggled to find the target, managing only 14 efforts on goal while 6 went wide.
Stanislav Lobotka not only scored the crucial goal but was also named the man of the match for his outstanding performance. In addition, Napoli’s goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic Savic played a pivotal role, making 4 vital saves throughout the game.
Napoli’s head coach, Cristian Stellini, set up his team in a 3-6-1 formation, featuring Vanja Milinkovic Savic in goal; a defensive line of Sam Beukema, Amir Rrahmani, and Juan Jesus; a midfield that included Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Stanislav Lobotka, Scott McTominay, Leonardo Spinazzola, Antonio Vergara, and Eljif Elmas; with Rasmus Hojlund leading the attack.
Sassuolo, led by Fabio Grosso, opted for a 4-3-3 formation, placing Arijanet Muric in goal with a defense comprising Sebastian Walukiewicz, Jay Idzes, Tarik Muharemovic, and Josh Doig; a midfield of Luca Lipani, Nemanja Matic, and Aster Vranckx; supported by Alieu Fadera, Andrea Pinamonti, and Armand Laurienté up front.
The match officiated by referee Francesco Fourneau saw Napoli secure three points, enhancing their position in the league standings. Following this victory, Napoli will visit Juventus, while Sassuolo is set to host Cremonese in their next fixture.
Napoli currently holds third place in the Serie A with 43 points, while Sassuolo remains in twelfth place with 23 points.
Substitutions for Napoli
55’ 2T – Sam Beukema for Noa Lang and Eljif Elmas for Matteo Politano
61’ 2T – Antonio Vergara for Pasquale Mazzochi
66’ 2T – Amir Rrahmani for Alessandro Buongiorno
Substitutions for Sassuolo
53’ 2T – Aster Vranckx for Edoardo Iannoni
80’ 2T – Josh Doig for Woyo Coulibaly and Alieu Fadera for Laurs Skjellerup
88’ 2T – Andrea Pinamonti for Walid Cheddira and Luca Lipani for Luca Moro
Yellow Cards for Sassuolo:
7’ 2T Aster Vranckx (Unsportsmanlike conduct)
18’ 2T Fabio Grosso (Insulting or disapproving the referee)
39’ 2T Edoardo Iannoni (Unsportsmanlike conduct)