With one eye on their expedition to Scotland to face Rangers on Tuesday, Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti made five changes to the side that destroyed last season’s UEFA Champions League finalists Liverpool, as aces like Piotr Zieliński, Kim Min-jae, and Stanislav Lobotka were given the afternoon off. Nevertheless, Napoli were inches away from continuing their relentless attacking momentum in the eighth minute, when only Bartłomiej Drągowski’s magnificent save prevented Georgian sensation Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from breaking the deadlock.
Producing the fewest shots on goal in SA before this round, the visitors struggled to replicate their hosts’ commencement to the contest as Napoli continued their onslaught on Drągowski’s goal. Experiencing a contrast in their fortunes in the final third after accumulating a league-high 98 shots before this round of matches, the hosts continued to look menacing in the final third but were ultimately left frustrated heading into HT, as the scoreline remained goalless.
See stats from the match at Flashscore
Napoli began the second half as they did the first, with their dominance seeing Drągowski produce another stellar save to deny André-Frank Zambo Anguissa. In pursuit of breaking down a determined Spezia backline, Spalletti called upon the exploits of Hirving Lozano and Zieliński in the 57th minute, bringing an end to the Poland international’s nearly hour-long repose.
Spezia increasingly dared to believe, but the hosts’ endeavours would be rewarded in the dying minutes. Italian international Raspadori sent the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona into rapturous celebrations with added time on the horizon, after slotting past a distraught Drągowski at the back post. Victory avenged two previous H2H home league defeats for Napoli, while Spezia have now fired a blank in three straight top-flight away games for the first time ever.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Giacomo Raspadori (S.S.C. Napoli)
