Napoli Come From Behind To Win Sampdoria and Move to Third
Napoli came from behind to snatch all three points from Sampdoria on Sunday thanks to two second-half goals from substitute Hirving Lozano and Petagna.
The Naples side playing their first league game in the renamed Estadio Diego Armando Maradona took home all three points to move to third, three points below leaders AC Milan who play later in the day.
Gennaro Gattuso‘s side began the better of both sides and had a greater share of the ball in the opening exchanges. However, they could not break the visitors’ well-organised defence. Their first chance of the game came in the 7th minute when Piotr Zielinski’s shot from the edge of the box, but his shot was easily dealt with by Emil Audero.
Despite having the ball more, it was the visiting team who drew the first blood in the 20th minute when midfielder Valerio Verre found Jakub Jankto inside the box to pick the top left corner and put Sampdoria in front.
The visitors continued to threaten after going ahead with Antonio Candreva the next to shoot. However, his well-taken shot was blocked and eventually cleared away.
Napoli tried to find a way through the Sampdoria back-line and could have been level in the 45th minute only for Emil Anudero to deny Lorenzo Insigne a certain goal.
With Napoli struggling to carve out clear cut chances, Gattuso introduced Hirving Lozano and Andrea Petagna for Matteo Politano and Fabian Ruiz.
Eight minutes later, the substitutions paid off—Hirving Lozano was on hand to head home from close range after a good run and cross by Dries Mertens.
The substitute nearly added his second for the day in the 61st minute, but his effort from the edge of the box could only crash against the left post.
However, the hosts would not be denied in the 68th minute as the two substitutes combined to put them in front—this time Andrea Petagna heading home from a lofted pass from Hirving Lozano.
Dries Mertens could have added a third but was again denied by an inspired Emil Audero in the Sampdoria goal. Two goals were enough to hand Napoli their win in the season, moving them to third place behind Inter Milan and AC Milan.
Napoli are back in action next against Inter Milan on Wednesday while Sampdoria will travel to face Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi to face Verona.
