Match Report I Bologna 2-0 Napoli: Lucumi’s soaring header guides Bologna a point from the top | OneFootball

A night filled with euphoria for the Rossoblu at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara as Bologna stun last year’s champions Napoli in a shocking 2-0 defeat on Tuscan soil. 

Following two consecutive draws without having scored a goal in all competitions, it is typically within coach Antonio Conte’s nature to fight back with resilience when his back his against the wall, especially given that three points are vital to keep themselves well on course for the Scudetto in a four-horse race with Milan, Inter and Roma.

However, the display at the Renato Dall’Ara was stark opposite of what many would have expected, a Partenopei side clueless in creativity and lacking lethal finishing in the final third, unable to break down the rigid back-line of Vincezno Italiano’s men, hence only shot on target was obtained for the Azzurri throughout the entirety of the match. 

Even with the sudden substitution of 17-year-old shot-stopper Massimo Pessina to replace first-choice custodian Lukasz Skorupski, the Rossoblu remained collective, continuously posing a threat going forward in the first half. 

Despite a scoreless first forty-five, it felt that Napoli were on the back-foot and that if there were one team and would break the dead-lock, it would be Bologna. 

Five minutes into the second half, a sublime low-driven cross from substitute Nicolo Cambiaghi caught Napoli’s back-line off guard and latched onto Dutchman Thijs Dallinga. The 25 year-old forward was left unmarked in the box and beat Vanja Milinkovic-Savic by the first post with a lovely touch that guided the ball in the back of the net to seal the opener. 

As the match played out, Napoli lost balance and control as Bologna kept beating the Partenopei to the ball and dominating the central area of the pitch, as well as picking apart Antonio Conte’s defence that was quite brittle, lacking a great deal of structure. 

Nearly fifteen minutes later, a superb delivery from Swedish full-back Emil Holm found central defender Jhon Lucumi. With three Napoli men swarming around him, the Colombian international managed to soar above and score a thunderous header in the sixty-third minute of play, doubling Bologna’s lead with just over half an hour to go. 

Despite a flurry of changes by Antonio Conte as he brought on Lorenzo Lucca, Noa Lang, and David Neres throughout the course of the second half in order to find the back of the net, Napoli had no responses to a splendid Bologna side, unable to breach the rock-solid back-line. 

The significant win finds Vincenzo Italiano in fifth with 21 points, only a single point away from the top of the league, inspiring the Bologna fans and making them believe that a top-four finish is well within reach. 

Indeed, the Rossoblu supporters lit up the Renato Dall’Ara following the end of the match with pride, celebrating three crucial points against such a calculated tactician in Antonio Conte, as well as a dream debut for young keeper Pessina as he got a clean-sheet in his debut in between the sticks against the defending champions.

 Julian Faustini Ι GIFN