Napoli Cruise Past Verona with 2-0 Win to Extend Serie A Lead

Napoli maintained their position at the top of the Serie A table with a convincing 2-0 win over Hellas Verona on Sunday.

Napoli strengthened their position at the top of the Serie A table with a convincing 2-0 win over Hellas Verona at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The victory marked Napoli's 12th clean sheet of the season, the highest tally among Europe's top five leagues. This impressive defensive record has been a key factor in Napoli's success, enabling them to consolidate their lead at the top of the division.

Napoli take all three points at home! 🏠#NapoliVerona pic.twitter.com/ceOKjWS997

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) January 12, 2025

Napoli entered the match against Verona on the back of a four-game winning streak, which had given them a three-point cushion at the top of the table. However, with Atalanta and Inter Milan having played fewer games, the gap was narrowed to just one point after Inter's win earlier on Sunday. Despite this increased pressure, Napoli started strongly against Verona, taking the lead within five minutes of kickoff.

The opening goal was scored in fortuitous circumstances, as Giorgio Di Lorenzo's powerful strike hit the post and rebounded off Verona goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo into the net. This early goal set the tone for the rest of the match, with Napoli dominating proceedings and ultimately securing a comfortable 2-0 victory. The win enabled Napoli to extend their lead at the top of the Serie A table, maintaining their momentum as they pursue the title.

Napoli had opportunities to extend their lead shortly after scoring, but Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Romelu Lukaku both missed the target. Anguissa skied his shot over the crossbar from close range, while Lukaku's effort went narrowly wide. Verona, on the other hand, struggled to create scoring chances, with Casper Tengstedt's header being their closest attempt to testing Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret before halftime.

Napoli had luck on their side for their opener in #NapoliVerona 😅 pic.twitter.com/e9rB3hJ0wj

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) January 13, 2025

After the restart, Napoli continued to dominate the match. Scott McTominay tested Verona goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo, while Amir Rrahmani had two headers from Leonardo Spinazzola's corners that went close to finding the net. Rrahmani's first attempt was cleared off the line by Davide Faraoni, and his second header went over the crossbar from close range. Napoli's persistence eventually paid off, as they scored their second goal around the hour mark through Anguissa.

Anguissa's goal sealed the win for Napoli, as he hammered the ball into the corner from outside the area. The goal took any remaining tension out of the game, allowing Napoli to maintain possession for most of the remaining half-hour. Verona's only notable attempt during this period was a long-distance effort from Grigoris Kastanos, which was parried to safety by Meret. The win extended Napoli's lead at the top of the table to four points, providing a comfortable buffer ahead of their rivals.

The result marked the end of Verona's two-game unbeaten run and left them just one point clear of the bottom three. Napoli, meanwhile, continue to set the pace in Serie A, with their latest win further solidifying their position as title contenders.