A tense night at the Diego Armando Maradona
Napoli had a golden chance. To pile maximum pressure on Inter and, at least temporarily, grab top spot in Serie A. But on Wednesday night, against a Verona with no complex, the Partenopei had to dig deep to avoid a home humiliation. Final score: 2-2. A frustrating draw on paper, but it tells you a lot about this Antonio Conte side.
This match could’ve easily been lost. And in a tight title race, that salvaged point may matter far more than it looks.
Verona strikes early and stuns the Napoli crowd
From the first minutes Napoli stamped its mark. Dominant possession, high pressing, clear intent. Eljif Elmas came close to opening the scoring, but Lorenzo Montipò produced a decisive close-range block. A scare with no follow-up. Or almost.
Because in the 16th minute everything flipped. From a Cheikh Niasse cross, Martin Frese popped up and finished with a cheeky heel—bold and deadly. Napoli stunned. Five minutes later the nightmare deepened. Alessandro Buongiorno was penalised for hand in the box. Gift Orban didn’t flinch. 2-0 to Verona inside 21 minutes.
At that exact moment, San Paolo held its breath. Napoli dominated without killing it. Verona struck without warning.
A first half that got away from Napoli
The score was harsh, but not undeserved. Verona played smart, exploited every transition, defended with aggression. Napoli lacked cutting edge in the final third. Crosses kept coming, runs too, but the end product wasn’t there.
At the break the numbers said it all. Verona posted 1.69 expected goals to just 0.56 for Conte’s men. Napoli’s home invincibility was wobbling dangerously.
McTominay reignites the fight after the break
Napoli came out with a different intensity. Less sterile control, more verticality. And the reward came quick. Nine minutes after the restart, Scott McTominay rose highest to a perfect Noa Lang corner. His header beat Nicolas Valentini. 2-1. The stadium exploded.
Momentum shifted instantly. Verona dropped back. Napoli pushed. Rasmus Højlund first missed a header, then thought he’d level in the 72nd with a powerful volley. But VAR chilled the party: the Dane had a prior hand. Minutes later Amir Rrahmani saw his goal ruled out for offside after a McTominay lay-off. Frustration grew.
Di Lorenzo, captain when it mattered
Through constant pressure, Napoli finally got their reward. With eight minutes left Giovanni Di Lorenzo ghosted in at the far post and nodded in a whipped cross from Luca Marianucci. This time no controversy. 2-2. The Maradona roared. Napoli had come back from the brink.
The Partenopei sensed the game could flip. They pushed, crowded the box, hunted the killer blow. Verona stood firm. They even almost ruined it in stoppage when Giovane tried a cheeky lob that clipped the outside of the post.
Numbers that show Napoli’s turnaround
This was a two-act lesson. First half Napoli suffered. Second half they dominated. After the break Conte’s men had 11 shots to Verona’s 7, with an xG of 0.53 to 0.21. A clear, almost instinctive reaction.
More importantly, Napoli kept an impressive stat intact. They’re the only club among Europe’s big five leagues unbeaten at home across all competitions in 2025. 21 matches: 15 wins, 6 draws. The run now stretches to 23 games without defeat at the Maradona.
A frustrating point, but maybe a priceless one
Yes, Napoli let the chance to go top slip. Yes, the draw feels unfinished. But in a season where every detail matters, coming back from 0-2 without panic is a statement. This team doesn’t quit. Ever.
One point behind Inter before the trip to Parma, Napoli remain very much in the hunt. And given the character shown on Wednesday, nobody should bury them yet. In Serie A, titles are sometimes won on nights like this. Nights where you refuse to fall.
Catch the rest of the sports news on Mathodds!
Leave a Reply