Napoli 3-1 Inter Player Ratings – Partenopei Midfielders Run the Show | OneFootball

Defending Serie A champions Napoli got their Scudetto defense back on track with a morale-boosting 3-1 home win over Inter. The Partenopei defied their recent dip in form to end a four-game winless league streak against the San Siro giants.

The sides entered the game in contrasting spirits. Indeed, Napoli sought redemption for a humiliating 6-2 rout at the hands of PSV Eindhoven in midweek Champions League action. It was their second consecutive defeat in all competitions, following a dismal 1-0 Serie A loss at Torino last weekend.

On the other hand, Inter headed into proceedings in a buoyant mood, looking to extend a seven-game winning streak. The Nerazzurri thrashed Royale Union SG 4-0 on Tuesday to build on a narrow 1-0 league triumph at Roma last Saturday. Therefore, they seemed in far better shape than the reigning Scudetto holders.

Though Inter dominated possession and created several half-chances, Napoli opened the scoring through Kevin De Bruyne. Henrikh Mkhitaryan conceded a reckless penalty, allowing the Belgian star to score his fourth Serie A goal of the season. However, the former Manchester City midfielder injured himself in the process, forcing Antonio Conte to make an early save.

Inter continued to press high in search of an equalizer, leaving acres of space in their own half. Napoli expertly punished Cristian Chivu’s high defensive line at the start of the second half as Leonardo Spinazzola found Scott McTominay with a superb ball over the top, with last season’s Serie A MVP sending a thunderous half-volley into the bottom corner.

Yet, Napoli’s two-goal cushion didn’t last for long as Alessandro Buongiorno handled the ball in his own box, only five minutes after McTominay’s goal. Hakan Calhanoglu was ruthless from the spot, blowing the game wide open on the stroke of the hour mark. When it looked like the Nerazzurri could shift momentum and mount a comeback, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa dashed their turnaround hopes.

Indeed, the Cameroonian midfielder danced past Francesco Acerbi and Manuel Akanji before scoring a stunning goal with his weaker right foot to restore Napoli’s two-goal advantage. Inter failed to recover after the 29-year-old’s goal as Inter returned to winning ways, leapfrogging Milan at the top of the table.

Without further ado, let’s look at our player ratings.

Napoli (4-1-4-1)

Vanja Milinkovic-Savic – 7/10

The towering goalkeeper made a few comfortable saves before being beaten from the spot.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo – 7/10

Despite receiving a cheap yellow card toward the end of the first half, the Napoli captain had an impressive game, keeping Federico Dimarco at bay.

Alessandro Buongiorno – 5/10

After a woeful performance in Eindhoven, the Italian underperformed once again. He looked shaky under pressure and never truly settled into the game. His clumsy handball summed up another poor outing for the former Torino man.

Juan Jesus – 8/10

The Brazilian veteran performed way better than his center-back partner, making several key interventions to deny Inter’s forwards. Furthermore, he looked composed in possession, helping Napoli build from the back.

Leonardo Spinazzola – 7/10

Despite showing little intent going forward, the Euro 2020 winner fared well defensively before picking out McTominay with a defense-splitting pass.

Billy Gilmour – 7/10

Conte trusted the Scottish ace to fill Stanislav Lobotka’s shoes, and the diminutive midfielder didn’t disappoint. Though he squandered an early chance and earned a yellow card for a tactical foul late in the first half, his contribution was significant.

Matteo Politano – 5/10

Perhaps troubled by a minor muscle injury, the former Inter winger had a quiet evening by his standard, often failing to make a difference down the right flank against Dimarco.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa – 8/10

Anguissa’s unparalleled energy and physical dominance in the middle of the park set the tone for Napoli’s performance. He constantly disrupted Inter’s rhythm, won countless duels, and capped off a stellar display with a well-taken goal.

Kevin De Bruyne – 7/10

It’s a pity he had to come off immediately after converting the penalty. The illustrious playmaker was Napoli’s driving force in the final third in the opening half an hour of play.

Scott McTominay – 8/10

Fresh off a Champions League double against PSV, the Napoli talisman scored another memorable goal, seizing the only scoring opportunity he had tonight.

David Neres – 3/10

Conte’s decision to place him at the tip of his frontline didn’t pay off as the ex-Benfica winger offered nothing in attack, even wasting a glorious counter-attack before being subbed off.

Substitutes

Mathias Olivera – 6/10

Noa Lang – N/A

Elif Elmas – N/A

Sam Beukema – N/A

Miguel Gutierrez – N/A

Inter (3-5-2)

Yann Sommer – 3/10

It wasn’t really his fault, yet the Swiss goalkeeper had another forgettable night in a high-stakes Serie A clash, following a dreadful night in Turin, conceding from all three shots on target.

Alessandro Bastoni – 5/10

The Italian defender was dominant in the air and reasonably composed in possession. However, he lost track of McTominay for Napoli’s second goal and let frustration get the better of him when he received a needless yellow card.

Francesco Acerbi – 4/10

Inter’s most reliable defender struggled to meet expectations, mispositioning himself and allowing McTominay to beat the offside trap for the goal. He was too passive, allowing Anguissa too much time and space to score.

Manuel Akanji – 6/10

Despite performing better than his defensive comrades, the Manchester City loanee was merely a spectator when Anguissa shut down Inter’s comeback hopes. However, he was rock-solid throughout the game.

Federico Dimarco – 5/10

Defensively, he was caught ball-watching at times, allowing Napoli’s attackers to exploit gaps, while offensively, his final balls lacked the precision needed to create real chances.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 3/10

As if giving away a reckless penalty wasn’t frustrating enough, the Armenian veteran sustained an injury in the process, forcing Chivu to take him off just after the half-hour mark.

Hakan Calhanoglu – 8/10

The Turkish midfield dynamo was, without a doubt, Inter’s best player at the Maradona Stadium. In addition to the goal, he pulled all the strings in the middle of the park with his signature passing and outstanding vision.

Nicolo Barella – 6/10

His energetic approach and tireless runs often came to nothing. Despite working hard to press and recover possession, his decision-making in key moments lacked the usual sharpness.

Denzel Dumfries – 6/10

Unlike Dimarco, the Dutch wingback was a genuine attacking outlet, constantly bombing forward and stretching Napoli’s defense. He came close to finding the net in the first half, rattling the crossbar.

Lautaro Martinez – 4/10

Completely cut off from the rest of the pack, El Toro was a marginal figure in this fixture. Struggling to receive service and isolated up front, he offered little in terms of link-up play or attacking threat despite his usual work rate.

Ange-Yoan Bonny – 3/10

After scoring in back-to-back Serie A starts, the French striker flopped in his first ‘big-match’ appearance for Inter. An anonymous performance from the 21-year-old!

Substitutes

Piotr Zielinski – 5/10

Francesco Pio Esposito – 6/10

Petar Sucic – 5/10