Napoli edged past Cagliari 2-1 on Friday evening in Serie A action, moving within one point of second-placed Milan in the league standings.
The match, played at the Unipol Domus in Cagliari, Sardinia, saw Scott McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne start together in midfield for Antonio Conte’s side, a pairing fans have been eager to see. Confirmed line-ups showed a strong Napoli starting eleven.
Napoli has now secured three consecutive wins, each ending with a 2-1 scoreline, against Hellas Verona, Torino, and Lecce. This latest victory puts them in a strong position to overtake Milan with a favorable result.
Cagliari, meanwhile, has struggled for form, failing to secure a win since the finish of January when they defeated Verona 4-0. They’ve only managed to collect two points from their last six matches and currently sit in 15th place, six points clear of the relegation zone.
Despite injuries to Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Antonio Vergara, and David Neres, Conte was able to field a formidable midfield featuring McTominay, De Bruyne, Stanislav Lobotka, and Billy Gilmour, supporting lone striker Rasmus Hojlund. Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa was available as a substitute. The team’s depth was on display despite the absences.
The game as well featured six players who have been called up to Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy national team squad for upcoming World Cup play-offs, including Cagliari’s Elia Caprile and Marco Palestra, as well as Alessandro Buongiorno, Leonardo Spinazzola, Matteo Politano, and Alex Meret from Napoli. National team representation added another layer of intrigue to the match.
Full match highlights are available, showcasing De Bruyne’s performance and the key moments of the contest.
Images from the match capture De Bruyne in action during the Serie A fixture.
