Raspadori comes in and knocks out Venezia: Napoli back in first place

Raspadori enters and knocks out Venezia: Napoli back in first

Napoli narrowly crushed Venezia 1-0 in the Maradona match valid for the 18th day of the championship and scored its third consecutive victory in Serie A, hooking Atalanta in first place in the standings. A goal in the second half by newcomer Raspadori broke the strenuous resistance of the lagoon players, who were saved several times by Stankovic (a penalty parried by Lukaku in the first half).Di Francesco’s team remains second-last with 13 points.

Napoli plays the game from the very first minutes, Rrahmani immediately comes close to scoring but finds a sensational Filip Stankovic on his way. The Serbian goalkeeper è in an extraordinary moment of form and on 35' he parries Lukaku’s penalty kick, guessing the Belgian bomber’s shot angle, his second mistake in the last 30 penalties kicked. Venezia did not give up attacking, and the Maradona had a thrill at the half-hour mark when Meret with his foot repelled Yeboah’s conclusion.

Resumed, Napoli has to accentuate the pressure but struggles to sting the Laguna rearguard. At 65' Lukaku hits the post, again Stankovic’s deflection decisive; four minutes later again the Belgian bomber concludes from a few steps but sends over the crossbar.

Conte inserted Raspadori and Politano for Anguissa and Kvaraskhelia, Napoli dominated and at the 80'80' finally found the long-awaited lead: newcomer Raspadori took advantage of a favorable rebound on Neres’ cross and pierced Stankovic with his left, putting the partenopei ahead. Venice on the ropes, the Azzurri tried several times to find the safety goal but Stankovic came back as a portcullis on Lukaku, Politano and Olivera. No harm done: Conte’s team takes the three points and returns to relish the lead.