Napoli’s in-demand striker Victor Osimhen hit a superb winning goal to down Roma and Jose Mourinho, who once again came up short in a clash against a top six rival.
The visitors were the stronger side throughout the match and created all the clear-cut opportunities with Roma’s tentative approach underlined by the fact they failed to produce a shot on target throughout the match.
Luciano Spalletti’s side are now three points clear at the top of Serie A, extending their unbeaten start to the season across all competitions and clocking up their 11 th successive triumph – building hopes that they may land their first Serie A title in over three decades. It was Manchester United transfer target Osimhen - who has recovered from recent injury problems - who bagged the impressive winner.
Napoli entered the match as not only the form team in Italy but the most vibrant, attacking side in European football. They had won 10 successive matches including victories over Liverpool, Ajax, Milan and Lazio – scoring 32 goals in the process.
Yet Roma were showing encouraging signs of progress in recent weeks too and knew that ending the visitor’s unbeaten start to the campaign would take them up to within third and into the title picture too. A capacity home crowd roared their heroes on from the first minute as Roma swarmed to disrupt Napoli’s rhythm and smother their midfield.
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The game also began disastrously for the hosts as Chris Smalling misjudged Hirving Lozano’s whipped cross, slicing the ball inches wide of his own goal in the opening minute.
Roma soon settled and were swiftly bossing the chances by slicing through Napoli on the counter-attack; Nicolo Zaniolo cut inside and fired narrowly wide of goal with a rasping effort before Tammy Abraham spurned an opportunity two minutes later after Mady Camara’s tenacity won the ball in the middle of the opposition’s half.
Mourinho’s gameplan was centered on his side’s high intensity, biting into challenges and motivating the crowd. A crunching tackle from Camara on Napoli’s star striker Osimhen on the sideline in front of the Portuguese boss got his finger wagging in bemusement with both sets of benches animated.
Napoli may not have been reeling but the disruption tactics were evident as their first shot in anger did not come until the 27 th minute, as Piotr Zielinski’s long-range effort was comfortably saved by Rui Patricio.
Slowly Napoli turned the screw and began to dominate possession again Roma’s low-block and they thought their patience paid off seven minutes before the break. A penalty was awarded as Rui Patricio’s challenge on Tanguy Ndombele was awarded as a penalty, sparking furious protest from Mourinho and his players – before VAR correctly overturned the decision as replays showed the former Wolves goalkeeper getting a touch on the ball.
The half-time whistle should have brought respite for Roma but Lozano, Napoli’s biggest goal threat throughout, forced Patricio into a fine fingertip save with a powerful drive just four minutes into the second half before defender Juan Jesus sliced wide when well-placed after Roma failed to clear a corner just after the hour mark.
It was another night of frustration for Abraham, often isolated by Roma’s deep approach but not helped by a shortage of confidence – his run of games without a goal has now stretched to eight and he was substituted off for Andrea Belotti just after the hour mark. Abraham was given a standing ovation by the home support but it was a tough night for the former Chelsea striker.
Napoli’s ascendancy continued – a rare Roma attack broke down and with the side pushed forward, the visitors sprung a punchy counter-attack which within seconds ended with Osimhen being played through on goal – only for him to surprisingly drag his shot wide.
That was a warning for Roma and with ten minutes left on the clock, Osimhen made no mistake with a stunning finish to break the deadlock and earn Napoli a deserved victory.
