Napoli vs Bologna Review
Antonio Conte got his first victory as Napoli‘s head coach, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia contributing a goal and an assist to help the team secure a 3-0 triumph over Bologna at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Conte faced additional pressure following a disappointing 3-0 loss to Hellas Verona on the opening day, along with concerns regarding Victor Osimhen’s future.
The Rossoblù suffered an injury to summer signing Martin Erlić within the first 20 minutes, and their situation worsened just before halftime when Napoli scored a beautifully executed goal. Kvaratskhelia delivered a stunning lofted assist to Giovanni Di Lorenzo, who controlled the ball and fired it past Łukasz Skorupski.
Bologna began the second half with a strong possession phase, but they struggled to create clear chances. The best opportunity fell to Michel Aebischer, whose first-time volley went over the bar. Conte’s team gradually improved, and Matteo Politano managed to move into the box, but his left-footed shot missed the near post. In the 75th minute, Kvaratskhelia scored, picking up the ball in the center of the field and seeing his shot deflect off Sam Beukema and into the bottom corner past Skorupski.
In stoppage time, Giovanni Simeone converted an opportunity to score a third goal when he hit a close-range shot from a pass by David Neres across the box. This marked Bologna’s first loss of the season, leaving Vincenzo Italiano with a draw and a defeat in his initial two matches as coach. On the other hand, Napoli’s victory ended an eight-game winless run in Serie A that had begun last season.
