Napoli Beat Bologna 1-0 to stop their run of three straight defeats in all competitions. Bologna took their third loss of the league season and still do not have a single win after four matches.
Napoli pushed forward early in the first half and created good moments in front of goal. Antonio Vergara and Rasmus Hojlund both had clear chances to score, but neither player could put the ball into the net before the break. Napoli took total control of the game in the second half and kept Bologna pinned inside their own territory for long spells.
The winning moment arrived in the 66th minute of the contest. Young substitute Costantino Favasuli came off the bench for his team debut and set up Stanislav Lobotka on the right side of the penalty area. Lobotka hit a clean right-footed shot that passed straight between the legs of goalkeeper Massimo Pessina to put Napoli ahead.
Napoli boss Massimiliano Allegri changed his plans at halftime to break down the Bologna defense. He brought on both Noa Lang and Favasuli to add speed and energy out wide. The move paid off quickly when Kevin De Bruyne found Favasuli with a smart through ball down the right flank, setting up the match-winning pass for Lobotka.
Bologna had problems before the match even started when head coach Domenico Tedesco dropped normal starting goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski to the bench because the player arrived late to a team meeting. That decision handed the start in goal to young Massimo Pessina. Bologna defended near their own box for most of the second half and could not create real danger against Napoli goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.
This home win ended Napoli’s run of three league games without a victory against Bologna. The three points push Napoli up to ninth place in the Serie A table with six points, while Bologna remain stuck down in 16th place with just one point from four matches.
In his post-match press conference, Massimiliano Allegri stated that the squad needed this exact anger and determination to return to winning ways, pointing out that mental focus rather than technical quality was the missing element in their previous losses against Inter and Como. The Italian manager also praised the defensive discipline shown in the closing minutes, noting that Costantino Favasuli possesses the aggressiveness required to hold defensive lines high up the pitch.
The upcoming calendar places severe pressure on both sides to build on this result as Serie A approaches a packed autumn schedule. Napoli turn their attention to a difficult away fixture against Fiorentina at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, where picking up consecutive league victories will be crucial to staying within reach of the European qualification spots.
For Domenico Tedesco and Bologna, the offensive struggles remain a critical issue to solve before their next outing against Lecce. Having generated very little danger over the ninety minutes in Naples, the Rossoblu must find greater fluidity in midfield and better service for forward Lorenzo Piccoli if they hope to steer clear of an early relegation fight.
