Starting the night two points ahead of Napoli after their best 12-game start to a season since 2017/18 (W9, L3), Roma were determined to return to the Serie A summit following Milan’s victory over Lazio on Saturday.
It was Gli Azzurri, however, who started on the front foot at the Stadio Olimpico, as Rasmus Hojlund saw an early effort thwarted by Mile Svilar and Giovanni Di Lorenzo directed a powerful volley into the side-netting from eight yards.
Napoli continued to threaten as the first half progressed, and Svilar had to react quickly to parry away a dangerous cross-cum-shot from Noa Lang, but Roma then created a couple of chances themselves at the other end.
Evan Ferguson failed to hit the target on both occasions, though, and Napoli capitalised by taking a deserved lead in the 36th minute.
A superb counter-attacking move culminated in Hojlund playing David Neres through on goal, and the Brazilian kept his cool to clip a clever finish over Svilar.
Antonio Conte’s side looked to press home their advantage at the start of the second period, as Scott McTominay saw a close-range effort denied by brave goalkeeping from Svilar.
Yet, with five of Roma’s seven home league goals scored prior to tonight arriving after half-time, there was still a real expectation of the Giallorossi upping the ante.
Eager to maintain that reputation for finding a second wind up front, Gian Piero Gasperini introduced Paulo Dybala and Neil El Aynaoui into the action as time ticked into the final half-hour.
However, for all their possession in the final third, clear-cut openings were in short supply until the final minute of the 90’, when Tommaso Baldanzi’s low strike was expertly denied by Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.
That proved to be the hosts’ best chance of salvaging a late equaliser, with Napoli holding firm to leapfrog Roma in the Serie A standings.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Rasmus Hojlund (Napoli)
