Italy: Napoli remain top of Serie A
Empoli 0 - 1 Napoli
Napoli held on to their spot at the top of Serie A with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Empoli at the Stadio Carlo Castellani.
Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football
The match was settled by a late penalty from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, as the visitors found it tough to break down a resilient Empoli side.
Empoli, unbeaten going into this fixture, started brightly and created several early chances. Sebastiano Esposito tested former Empoli goalkeeper Elia Caprile with a fierce volley, while Giuseppe Pezzella also forced a save from the Napoli shot-stopper.
Napoli, without key players Stanislav Lobotka and Alex Meret, handed Billy Gilmour his first Serie A start alongside Scott McTominay. The visitors had chances of their own, with Alessandro Buongiorno’s header cleared off the line and Esposito’s low shot smartly saved by Caprile.
The decisive moment came late on, when substitute Giovanni Simeone made an impact, winning a penalty after Tino Anjorin fouled Matteo Politano in the box. Kvaratskhelia calmly slotted the spot-kick home.
Although McTominay came close to adding a second, Napoli’s attacking efforts were largely kept at bay by Empoli’s solid defence. Nonetheless, the single goal was enough for Napoli to secure the three points and remain at the top of the Serie A table.
Watch the highlights in the video below
Reaction as Napoli's bright start to the season continues
After a poor 2023/2024 season, a slightly different Napoli side have started the season in good form. Their fans will already be expecting a title challenge. They made some good moves in the transfer market with the signing of Scott McTominay becoming something of a cult hero for their fans in the two months he's been there.
It's just a pity we won't be seeing them in European competition until next season. An all-Scottish midfield taking on the world's best? We're already excited for that.
