Giacomo Raspadori came off the bench to score the only goal in Napoli’s 1-0 home win over relegation-battling Venezia, a result which moves them to second in the Serie A standings and level on points with leaders Atalanta.
Antonio Conte’s hosts were on the attack from the off, with Filip Stankovic twice denying the home side with close-range saves from Amir Rrahmani and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Venezia began to find a footing in the game, almost taking the lead but Alex Meret pulled off a reflex save with his leg to keep out John Yeboah’s effort.
A handball from Jay Idzes after Mathías Olivera’s shot gave Napoli the perfect chance to break the deadlock from the penalty spot, but Stankovic went the right way and was down quick to get a hand to Romelu Lukaku’s powerful low strike.
Both sides continued to create chances after the interval, with Venezia’s Hans Nicolussi Caviglia almost floating a free-kick under the crossbar but Meret cleared the danger with a two-handed punch. Lukaku had an opportunity to redeem the penalty miss when he turned two defenders to take the ball into the area before getting a shot away, but Stankovic got a hand to the strike, which took it on to the upright.
Napoli struggled to find a way past the visitors, before Raspadori netted in the 79th minute, nine minutes after coming on. David Neres played a pass across the box to which Venezia’s Antonio Candela got a touch, but the ball fell kindly to Raspadori who drove a first-time finish low into the far corner. Raspadori has been linked with a move away from Napoli in January after starting only two league games under Conte this season, but the forward’s winner could lead to a change of heart.
Napoli have 41 points, one ahead of defending champions Inter, while Venezia remain second from the bottom on 13 points.
A last-gasp goal by forward Riccardo Sottil earned Fiorentina a 2-2 draw at Juventus after Khéphren Thuram scored twice for the hosts. Midfielder Thuram put Juve in front after 20 minutes, sending the ball low inside the near post after an impressive solo run, before Fiorentina’s Moise Kean levelled ahead of the break with a header.
Thuram restored the lead for Juve three minutes into the second half, scoring into the far bottom corner from close range but Sottil equalised in the 87th minute with a powerful, close-range volley. The two teams are level on 32 points, with Fiorentina ahead in fifth on goal difference.
Milan played out a 1-1 draw at home against Roma in a hard-fought and heated match. An early goal from Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders was equalised shortly after by a stunning volley from Paulo Dybala. Milan are eighth on 27 points, 14 behind Atalanta and Napoli, while Roma are 10th with 20 points.
In the day’s early kick-off, Torino came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Udinese. Souleymane Touré and Lorenzo Lucca struck either side of half-time to put the hosts in control, but Ché Adams reduced the arrears and Samuele Ricci struck a leveller after 64 minutes.
