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·14 Desember 2024

Serie A | Udinese 1-3 Napoli: Lukaku inspires comeback victory

Napoli fought back for a precious 3-1 victory away to Udinese thanks to Romelu Lukaku, an own goal sparked by David Neres and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa goals.

The Partenopei were tense after two consecutive defeats to Lazio in a few days saw them crash out of the Coppa Italia and lose the Serie A leadership to Atalanta. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia joined Michael Folorunsho and Pasquale Mazzocchi on the treatment table, so David Neres got only his second league start. The Friulani missed Maduka Okoye, Martin Payero, Keinan Davis, Oier Zarraga and Gerard Deulofeu, but Isaak Touré returned from suspension.

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David Neres volleyed the Giovanni Di Lorenzo cross wide at the back post with the inside of the left boot, while Jurgen Ekkelenkamp couldn’t make the most of a Florian Thauvin assist, then Thauvin blasted over after Alessandro Buongiorno gave it away in midfield.

David Neres flashed an angled drive across the face of goal, but Udinese received a spot-kick when Stanislav Lobotka raised an arm trying to protect his face and charged down the Jordan Zemura strike. Thauvin saw the penalty parried by Alex Meret, but only back into the veteran’s path to turn in the rebound.

UDINE, ITALY – DECEMBER 14: Florian Thauvin of Udinese Calcio scores the opening goal during the Serie A match between Udinese and Napoli at Stadio Friuli on December 14, 2024 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

David Neres tested Razvan Sava at the near post after riding the Kristensen tackle, but Sandi Lovric limped off with a suspected thigh strain.

Sava got down very quickly to keep out an Andrea Frank Zambo Anguissa low drive from 14 yards on a corner.

Napoli equalised after the restart when Lukaku ran onto the Scott McTominay through ball, finding a gap between central defenders and shaking off Lautaro Giannetti’s attempted tackle to fire in.

Matteo Politano drilled wide, but Napoli turned the game around completely with a stroke of luck. The David Neres slalom through the penalty area wreaked havoc in the Udinese defence, to the degree that in trying to clear the angled drive, Giannetti instead shinned it into his own net from six yards.

The Partenopei took control, Giovanni Simeone’s through ball allowing Anguissa to run into another gap through the centre-backs, shrugging off the attempted Jaka Bijol sliding tackle to fire in for 3-1.