Napoli ended their four-match winless run in Serie A with a dramatic 2-1 victory over bottom-placed Salernitana on Saturday, thanks to a last-gasp winner from Amir Rrahmani.
LEADERSHIP reports that Napoli is without their goal talisman, Victor Osimhen, who is representing Nigeria at the 2023 African Cup Of Nations (AFCON) in Côte D’Ivoire.
The Kosovar defender capitalised on poor defending at a free-kick in stoppage time to poke the ball home, sending the Estadio Diego Armando Maradona into a frenzy after earlier jeers.
Napoli trailed to a stunning strike from Antonio Candreva in the 29th minute, but Matteo Politano equalised from the penalty spot before halftime. The win sees Napoli move up to sixth place, 17 points behind league leaders Inter Milan.
“It’s not easy,” admitted Rrahmani after the game, “but I’m happy with the goal and hope for more luck in the future.”
With this victory, Napoli close the gap to fourth-placed Fiorentina, who occupy the final Champions League spot and face Udinese on Sunday. The two teams also clash on Wednesday in the semi-finals of the Italian Super Cup in Riyadh.
“We absolutely needed the win after recent results,” said manager Walter Mazzarri. “It was a deserved victory that showed the spirit of this team, something we haven’t seen enough of this season.”
Napoli fans, disappointed by their team’s performance compared to last season’s Scudetto triumph, erupted in joy after the late winner. However, the win wasn’t without controversy, with Politano’s penalty awarded after a soft foul on Giovanni Simeone confirmed by VAR.
Late drama unfolded when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia squandered a chance to win the game, but moments later, Salernitana goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa clattered into teammate Federico Fazio at a free-kick, leaving Rrahmani to tap in the winner and secure the three points for Napoli.
This revised version removes superlatives, maintains objectivity, and provides a concise summary of the match and its key moments. I hope this is helpful!
