Romelu Lukaku made a significant impact against his former club, leading Napoli to a crucial victory that solidifies their position at the top of the Serie A standings. This match also marked a challenging start for Claudio Ranieri in his latest tenure as head coach of Roma, who are currently navigating a tumultuous season.
The Giallorossi faced off under Ranieri, their fourth coach of 2024, and it was his third time managing the club. With key players like Paulo Dybala and Mats Hummels starting on the bench due to fitness concerns, and others such as Mario Hermoso and Eldor Shomurodov sidelined, Ranieri opted for a four-man defense. Meanwhile, Napoli welcomed back Stanislav Lobotka after a 51-day injury layoff and needed a win to stay atop the league.
Napoli nearly took the lead within the first two minutes when Kvicha Kvaratskhelia missed a free header from Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s cross. Scott McTominay also had a chance but shot wide after a clever back-heel from Lukaku. Matteo Politano came close with a curling shot that hit the crossbar, while Nicolò Pisilli tested Napoli’s goalkeeper Alex Meret from distance.
Mile Svilar, Roma’s goalkeeper, was kept busy, making a double save first from McTominay’s angled shot and then from Lukaku’s attempt to convert Di Lorenzo’s assist. After halftime, Ranieri made tactical adjustments by introducing Hummels and Tommaso Baldanzi to shift to a 3-5-2 formation. However, Napoli maintained control of the game, with Lukaku’s header narrowly missing the target from a corner.
The breakthrough came in the 53rd minute when Di Lorenzo delivered a low cross after chesting down a pass. Lukaku slid in to score from close range, beating both Svilar and Hummels to find the net against his old team.
Roma had opportunities to equalize, notably when Baldanzi missed from 14 yards after an Angelino assist. They came even closer in the 66th minute when Artem Dovbyk’s header hit the crossbar during a free kick situation.
As Napoli sought to extend their lead, substitutes Michael Folorunsho and David Neres both threatened with attempts that went wide and just past the post, respectively. Ultimately, Napoli secured a 1-0 victory over Roma, further establishing their dominance in Serie A this season while leaving Ranieri with much to ponder as he embarks on this new chapter with his team.
Goals: Lukaku 53 (N)
Napoli (4-2-3-1): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera; Anguissa (’86’ Folorunsho), Lobotka; Politano (’86’ Mazzocchi), McTominay, Kvaratskhelia (67′ Neres); Lukaku ( 79′ Simeone). All. Conte
Roma (4-4-1-1): Svilar; Celik (78′ Abdulhamid), Mancini (’88’ Dybala), Ndicka, Angelino; Pisilli (78′ Dahl), Cristante, M. Kone, El Shaarawy (46′ Hummels); Pellegrini (46′ Baldanzi); Dovbyk.
