Juba Touabi, Media365, published on Sunday December 29, 2024 at 5:05 p.m.
At the end of a hard-fought match, Naples ended up defeating a courageous Venice team thanks to a goal from Raspadori at the very end of the match (1-0).
This victory allows the Neapolitans to return to the level of Atalanta Bergamo at the top of the ranking, while Venice remains stuck in 19th place. Napoli took control of the match from the kick-off, imposing constant pressure on a Venice team clearly coming to defend. From the 4th minute, Rrahmani distinguished himself with a low shot repelled by an excellent Stankovic, who would prove to be the man of the match for the visitors. Kvaratskhelia also had his chance in the 15th minute, but his too-axial shot was easily captured by the Venetian goalkeeper.
Faced with this domination, Venice attempted a few incursions, such as this on-target shot from Yeboah in the 20th minute, well repelled by Meret. However, the biggest opportunity came in the 37th minute, when Napoli were awarded a penalty after a handball from Idzes. Lukaku, responsible for converting the opportunity, saw his shot saved by an imperial Stankovic. At the break, despite their superiority, Antonio Conte's players remained frustrated (0-0). Returning from the locker room, Venice came back with better intentions, holding the ball for the first few minutes of the second half. But Naples quickly regained control, intensifying its domination. Lukaku, unlucky, saw his powerful shot hit the post after a good acceleration in the 64th minute.
Naples returns to the top of the ranking
The opportunities multiplied for Naples, but Stankovic continued his recital, notably repelling a strong strike from Kvaratskhelia in the 72nd minute. We had to wait until the 79th minute for the situation to unravel: on a cross from Neres, Candela missed his clearance, offering a golden opportunity to Raspadori. The latter does not need to be asked and deceives Stankovic with a precise shot from close range, delivering an entire stadium (1-0). Despite late pressure from the Venetians, Napoli managed to preserve their advantage in the final minutes. The fouls multiplied in added time, reflecting the tension at the end of the match. Venice, however, was not able to prove itself dangerous enough to worry Meret a second time.
With this victory, Naples reaches 41 points and returns to a tie with Atalanta Bergamo at the top of the championship. If the performance of Conte's men suggested a lack of efficiency, their resilience ended up paying off. For its part, Venice, 19th with only 13 points, will have to quickly raise the bar to hope to remain in Serie A. Naples confirms its status as title contender while Venice, although valiant, leaves empty-handed. The Neapolitans can now turn to their next challenge with the ambition of continuing this positive dynamic.
