Serie A: Napoli Beat Cagliari 1-0 - Scott McTominay Scores Early Goal

McTominay's early goal gives Napoli narrow win over Cagliari

Napoli beat Cagliari 1-0 in Serie A, with Scott McTominay scoring just 60 seconds into the game. Antonio Conte's side moves into second place with their fourth consecutive win.

Napoli's star players showed flashes of brilliance, particularly when Scott McTominay...

Scott McTominay's early goal was enough for Napoli to secure a 1-0 win over Cagliari, moving them up to second place in Serie A. The Scotland midfielder scored in the second minute, reacting quickly to convert after the ball ricocheted off the post following a corner.

McTominay's early strike earns Napoli all three points 👊💥#CagliariNapoli pic.twitter.com/rWH3RXkuXA

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) March 20, 2026

 

Napoli dominated the game, with McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne starting together for the first time in almost five months. De Bruyne and Matteo Politano created further chances, but Cagliari's goalkeeper Elia Caprile made crucial saves to keep the score at 1-0. Napoli's win marks their fourth consecutive victory, and they now sit six points behind leaders Inter Milan.

Antonio Conte's Napoli side had won their previous three Serie A matches 2-1, but the hosts were struggling, without a win in their last six games. The tide turned quickly, as Scott McTominay scored just over a minute into the game, tapping in a corner kick that had been cleverly played short to Politano.

McTominay's goal marked his return to the starting lineup, and he didn't waste any time making an impact. The Scotland international's goal was a great start for Napoli, and it set the tone for the rest of the game.

The first half settled into a scrappy, evenly-matched affair, with Napoli's chances largely thwarted. Antonio Conte was visibly frustrated by his team's mistakes, particularly careless passes from Buongiorno and Gilmour that gave Cagliari unnecessary possession. 

Napoli's Matteo Politano had a tame free-kick, while Cagliari's Sebastiano Esposito came closest to scoring with a shot across Vanja Milinkovic-Savic's goal. Kevin De Bruyne almost scored with a low drive from the edge of the area, but Cagliari goalkeeper Elia Caprile parried it.

The first half was evenly contested, with Napoli dominating possession but struggling to create clear chances. Cagliari's defense held strong, and Napoli's attack looked contained. 

Napoli's star players showed flashes of brilliance, particularly when Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne, and Matteo Politano combined with some slick one-touch play in the Cagliari box. However, Cagliari goalkeeper Elia Caprile made a crucial save to prevent any damage.

Cagliari's struggles continued as they've failed to win any games this season when trailing at half-time, and Friday's match was no exception. Despite their best efforts, they couldn't overcome the early deficit created by McTominay's goal 

Fabio Piscane's Cagliari has gone winless in their last seven games, picking up just two points. Napoli, on the other hand, is on a roll under Antonio Conte, winning four in a row and climbing to second place in Serie A.

Scott McTominay is the Panini Player of the Match 🏆✨#CagliariNapoli pic.twitter.com/VHRS6STj33

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) March 20, 2026

Milan is their next opponent, and Napoli will look to keep their winning streak alive.