Napoli Secures Thrilling Victory Against Genoa
Napoli secured a thrilling 3-2 victory against Genoa in Serie A on Saturday, thanks to Rasmus Höjlund’s late penalty kick. The result allowed Napoli to maintain pressure on AC Milan and Inter Milan, who currently sit at the top of the standings.
Match Highlights
In a dramatic turn of events, Höjlund’s low strike found the back of the net in the fifth minute of added time, despite Genoa’s goalkeeper Justin Bijlow getting a hand to the ball but failing to parry it away.
The decisive penalty was awarded following a VAR review, which determined that Maxwel Cornet, who had just been introduced as a substitute, fouled Napoli’s Antonio Vergara. This penalty was Höjlund’s second goal of the match, narrowing the gap to just one point behind Milan and six points shy of Inter, who both retain an extra game in hand.
Early Setbacks and Comeback
The match began poorly for Napoli after a major error by Alessandro Buongiorno led to a penalty in the second minute. His misdirected back pass resulted in goalkeeper Alex Meret tripping Vitinha, enabling Ruslan Malinovskyi to convert from the penalty spot.
Despite the early setback, Napoli responded quickly. Scott McTominay was instrumental in their comeback, first having a shot saved by Bijlow, only for Höjlund to score from the rebound. Just minutes later, McTominay fired a long-range effort into the net, turning the scoreboard to 2-1.
Second Half Drama
Unfortunately, the match would take another twist as McTominay had to be substituted at halftime due to a muscular injury. Shortly after the restart, another blunder by Buongiorno allowed Lorenzo Colombo to net an equalizer for Genoa in the 57th minute.
Tensions escalated for Napoli when center back Juan Jesus received a second yellow card for fouling Genoa’s substitute Caleb Ekuban, leaving the team with just ten players. Despite Genoa pushing hard for a winning goal, it was Napoli who had the last laugh with Höjlund’s late penalty contributing to a vital three points as they continue their pursuit of the league’s top spots.
Looking Ahead
Meanwhile, Fiorentina, who are in the relegation zone, are set to face Torino later in the day.
