Napoli made it 11 wins on the bounce and moved three points clear at the top of the Serie A table after a moment of Victor Osimhen magic finally broke down a resilient Roma.
The Partenopei were the form team in Europe right now on a run of 10 consecutive victories in all competitions, but while Amir Rrahmani and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa were injured, Victor Osimhen made his first start since September 7. The Giallorossi missed Paulo Dybala, Nicola Zalewski, Marash Kumbulla, Zeki Celik, Georginio Wijnaldum and Ebrima Darboe.
Chris Smalling risked an early own goal with a shinned interception and Nicolò Zaniolo curled over the bar, while Rui Patricio smothered a Piotr Zielinski daisy-cutter.
Hirving Lozano’s acrobatic volley at the back post could only find the side-netting, but there was controversy on 38 minutes when the referee pointed to the spot. Tanguy Ndombele went down in a one-on-one with Rui Patricio, but it was revoked after a VAR review because the goalkeeper got a good hand to the ball first.
After the restart, Rui Patricio flew to fingertip a Lozano strike over the bar, then Smalling flung himself in the way of a Kvicha Kvaratskhelia strike inside the box.
Napoli started to turn up the pressure, Smalling making a decisive block on Lozano at the near post after Zielinski knocked back Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s cross, then on the resulting corner Juan Jesus horribly shinned wide from 12 yards.
There were chances at either end in 30 seconds, as first Zaniolo pulled back from the by-line for Alex Meret to get a hand to it and Zielinski made the crucial block on Camara, then on the counter Osimhen’s angled drive flashed inches wide.
Mathias Olivera was booked for taking down Zaniolo on the counter, but the deadlock was broken with a moment of sheer magic.
Matteo Politano’s ball over the top sent Osimhen running down the right, blazed past Smalling and thumped in a right-foot rocket from the tightest of angles that flew across Rui Patricio and into the side-netting. It seemed almost impossible to score from there.
There was a scuffle after the final whistle, which saw Rick Karsdorp sent off.
Roma 0-1 Napoli
Osimhen 80 (N)
Great goal by Osimhen. He’s a real threat.