Napoli Triumphs Over Sassuolo 2-0 in Serie A Opener

De Bruyne scores on debut as Napoli defeats Sassuolo

Napoli's Kevin De Bruyne scored on his Serie A debut, while Scott McTominay's header gave Napoli an early lead in their 2-0 win over Sassuolo.

Napoli's title defense got off to a flying start as they secured a comfortable 2-0 win over newly-promoted Sassuolo. Kevin De Bruyne marked his Serie A debut with a stunning goal, while Scott McTominay's clinical finish sealed the victory for the Partenopei.

 

Sassuolo's hopes of causing an upset were dashed when Ismaël Koné was sent off following a second yellow card, leaving them with 10 men for the final 11 minutes.

Napoli's win over Sassuolo extended their unbeaten run in head-to-head matches to 21 out of the last 23 encounters, with 14 wins and 7 draws. Sassuolo will look to regroup and bounce back from this defeat as they continue their Serie A campaign.

The match saw Kevin De Bruyne make his Inter Milan debut, and he nearly made an instant impact. De Bruyne picked out Amir Rrahmani with a precise pass, but the striker's effort went wide. However, Napoli quickly took the lead, capitalizing on a scoring opportunity. Scott McTominay headed home a flicked effort from an inswinging cross by Matteo Politano, giving Napoli the advantage.

The reigning champions get off to a winning start 💪#SassuoloNapoli pic.twitter.com/Tb87gB8Hx0

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) August 23, 2025

Sassuolo struggled to create scoring opportunities before halftime, and Napoli's lead could have been doubled when Scott McTominay's shot hit the crossbar following a defensive lapse. This moment highlighted Napoli's dominance, even if Sassuolo's goalkeeper wasn't seriously tested before the break.

After the interval, Napoli continued to assert their dominance, seeking to extend their lead. However, their efforts were temporarily thwarted when Matteo Politano's first-time shot, which was deflected, hit the upright. Despite this, Napoli's control of the game was evident, and they ultimately secured a 2-0 win over Sassuolo.

However, the away side deservedly doubled their advantage with a touch of fortune soon after, seeing De Bruyne’s free-kick delivery evade everyone before bouncing inside the far post.

That goal marked just the third time Napoli have netted more than once in their last nine away league outings, yet with more than half an hour to play, further goals looked likely.

Needing a spark, Tarik Muharemović forced a stop from Alex Meret with a rifled shot from range, but that half-chance didn’t lead to a Sassuolo resurgence.

Sassuolo's hopes of a comeback were crushed in the 79th minute when Ismaël Koné received his second yellow card for a lunging challenge on Lorenzo Lucca, leaving his team with 10 men and allowing Napoli to comfortably see out the 2-0 win. This red card marked a turning point in the match, as Napoli's dominance became even more pronounced.

Sassuolo's struggles to keep a clean sheet continued against Napoli, as they failed to prevent the Italian champions from scoring. This isn't surprising, given Sassuolo's inability to secure shutouts in their final four games last season. The challenge of facing Napoli, one of the top teams in the league, further compounded their defensive woes.

In stark contrast, Napoli's defense has been exceptional, with Antonio Conte's side boasting an impressive record of 19 clean sheets last campaign - the most in Europe's top five leagues. This defensive solidity was on full display in their match against Sassuolo, where they secured a 2-0 win without conceding a single goal. Napoli's ability to maintain their defensive discipline has been a key factor in their success.