SSC Napoli opened the 2022/23 campaign with an impressive 5-2 victory over Hellas Verona at ever-hostile Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi.
Despite dominating the first half, Napoli conceded the opening goal just before the half-hour mark from a Hellas Verona corner kick. Kevin Lasagna was left completely unmarked at the far post and converted what was effectively Verona’s only chance of the half.
Napoli responded well, scoring twice before the intermission. First, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened his account for Napoli, heading in the cross from Hirving Lozano. Victor Osimhen put Napoli ahead in stoppage time from Mario Rui’s out-swinging corner kick to the first post. Giovanni Di Lorenzo flicked the ball on and Osimhen stretched to score his first of the campaign.
Napoli looked shaky at the start of the second half and allowed Verona to get back into the match. Only three minutes after the restart, Thomas Henry scored his first since being signed from Venezia. During his celebration he inadvertently elbowed teammate Kevin Lasagna in the face, but the bloodied forward was able to continue.
Once again, Napoli responded well to the Verona goal. In the 55th minute, Piotr Zielinski completed a gorgeous team move involving Osimhen, Mario Rui and Kvaratskhelia, who added an assist to go with his goal.
Stanislav Lobotka doubled Napoli’s advantage 10 minutes later. Osimhen’s run toward the left wing pulled Koray Günter out of position and opened up the space for Lobotka to attack. The goal was reminiscent of Lobotka first ever goal for Napoli, scored against Genoa in the penultimate match of the 2021/22 campaign. Luciano Spalletti had high praise for Lobotka when speaking to DAZN after the match.
“Today he looked like Iniesta, he had an impressive match. With his movements he created spaces for us, he gave an ‘A’ to incredible restarts. Last year he did very well, he is always at the disposal of his companions but previously these percussions were less frequent. He is a wild boar in his way of doing things. He takes the field and you can no longer retrieve him.”
Matteo Politano scored the fifth only minutes after replacing Hirving Lozano, who was one of Napoli’s best players on the night. The comfortable lead afforded Spalletti the luxury of using his bench. Both Alessio Zerbin and Mathias Olivera made their Napoli debuts.
With Giovanni Simeone and Giuseppe Ambrosino not in the squad, Adam Ounas allowed Osimhen an opportunity to rest. Ounas thought he scored Napoli’s sixth, but it was disallowed as Zerbin obstructed goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo on the play.
Nevertheless, Napoli secured three important points during a round in which Milan, Inter, Juventus, Roma, Lazio, Fiorentina and Atalanta all won their opening matches. Napoli will play their first home match of the season against newly promoted Monza on Sunday, August the 21st.
