Atalanta's Title Hopes Fade as Napoli Secure Crucial 3-2 Victory

Napoli extended their lead at the top of Serie A to six points with a thrilling 3-2 win over Atalanta, who are now seven points adrift in the title race

Napoli solidified their position as Serie A pacesetters with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Scudetto rivals Atalanta at the Gewiss Stadium. This win marked their sixth consecutive Serie A triumph, extending their lead over Atalanta to seven points.

Atalanta had been experiencing a slump in form, with three consecutive Serie A draws relegating them to third place after leading the league at Christmas. The visit of Napoli presented an opportunity for Atalanta to narrow the gap with the league leaders. They capitalized on this chance when Mateo Retegui, the division's top scorer, netted his 14th goal of the season with a spectacular strike into the roof of the net from an angle.

Napoli responded to Atalanta's opening goal with a shot from David Neres that was saved by the goalkeeper. However, the visitors soon leveled the score shortly before the half-hour mark. Matteo Politano found the back of the net with a powerful strike from a similar position as Retegui's goal, leaving Marco Carnesecchi with no chance to make the save.

With the momentum shifting in their favor, Napoli capitalized on their newfound energy to take the lead. Scott McTominay delivered a clinical finish, side-footing Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa's cutback into the top corner from just inside the area, showcasing his precision and composure.

The second half began quietly, but Atalanta's talisman, Ademola Lookman, sparked the game back to life with a moment of individual brilliance. Initially, it seemed that Matteo Politano had averted the danger, but Lookman expertly adjusted his body to bury the ball into the corner, restoring parity once more. This equalizer rejuvenated Atalanta, and they soon went close to taking the lead, only for Alex Meret's fingertip save to deny Charles de Ketelaere's header from finding the bottom corner.

As the match entered its final stages, Atalanta appeared the more likely to find a winner, but Napoli had other plans. Romelu Lukaku, who had been relatively quiet until that point, made a decisive impact by heading Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa's pinpoint cross into the corner, securing a crucial goal for Napoli and shifting the momentum back in their favor.

Atalanta came agonizingly close to taking the lead when Charles de Ketelaere's header was miraculously saved by Alex Meret's fingertips, preventing the ball from nestling in the bottom corner. Despite this near-miss, Atalanta seemed the more likely to find a winner, but Napoli had other plans.

In a sudden turn of events, Romelu Lukaku, who had been relatively quiet until then, rose to the occasion by heading Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa's precise cross into the corner, catching Atalanta off guard. This goal proved to be the decisive factor, as Napoli confidently ran down the clock to secure the win and extend their lead at the top of the table.

FULL TIME | Fischio finale a Bergamo.

We stick together.@acqua_lete | #AtalantaNapoli FT 2-3 #GoAtalantaGo ⚫️🔵 pic.twitter.com/KkFWdaHiWD

— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) January 18, 2025

With this victory, Napoli moved six points clear of their closest pursuers, although Inter Milan do have two games in hand to potentially close the gap. However, Inter's recent 2-2 draw against Bologna serves as a reminder that picking up maximum points is far from guaranteed. Meanwhile, Atalanta now trails Napoli by seven points and urgently needs to break their five-game winless streak to remain in contention for their maiden Serie A title.