After a strong first half, Napoli Primavera struggled to create chances in the second half and ultimately paid for their mistakes, losing 0-1 on Jacopo Antolini’s first-half goal.
Lineup
Nicolò Frustalupi made one changes to the squad he fielded in the victory over Bologna. Gennaro Iaccarino returned from a long injury absence to start over Bilel Sahli at trequartista.
(3-4-2-1) Boffelli; Hysaj, Barba, Obaretin; Acampa, Gioielli, Alastuey, Marchisano; Iaccarino, Spavone; Pesce
First Half
Though Napoli controlled the run of play in the early stages, Torino came close twice in the opening six minutes. In the third minute, Jonathan Silva’s left-footed volley from the right side of the area bounced narrowly wide of the far post. Three minutes later, Eybi Nije dribbled past Daniel Hysaj near the right edge of the area but his right-footed shot curled wide of the far post as well.
Napoli responded with a chance of their own a minute later, when Jorge Alastuey switched the play to Matteo Marchisano. The right-sided midfielder dribbled past Jacopo Antolini on the right wing before squaring the ball into the area. Alessandro Spavone received the pass at the penalty spot before turning and shooting, but the effort was blocked by teammate Antonio Pesce in front of the Torino goal.
The home side continued to push forward and nearly took the lead in the 16th minute. Right back Ali Dembélé and goalkeeper Pietro Passador got their wires crossed, conceding a corner kick. The initial cross was cleared but Alastuey pressed and won the ball back in the Torino area. Francesco Gioielli turned and volleyed the ball towards the goal, but the shot was blocked by Alessandro Dellavalle. The replay showed that Dellavalle clearly block the shot with his hand, but with no VAR in the Primavera 1, play was allowed to resume.
Moments later, Spavone tested his luck with a left-footed strike from distance. The shot should have been easy to stop but Passador was slow to react and nearly made a meal of it.
Napoli’s best chance of the half came just before the midway point. Pesce did well to hold the ball up before passing back to Alastuey in the centre of the midfield. The Spaniard chipped the ball over the top towards Spavone, who made the run behind the Torino back line. The trequartista stretched to take the ball down but Passador was quick to close him down and block the shot.
Moments later, Torino opened the scoring against the run of play. Barba pressed high and got beat by the give and go between Daouda Weidmann and Antolini. Weidmann carried the ball towards the top of the box before playing a diagonal pass into the path of the left back. Antolini was 1-v-1 with Valerio Boffelli and calmly rolled the ball below the keeper at the near post to give the visitors the lead.
Though Napoli remained the more positive side, the Azzurrini nearly allowed Torino to double their lead after an error at the back. Nije got free on the left wing, dibbled past Hysaj, who had chased the forward down, and tested Boffelli with his left. However, the Napoli keeper was up to the task, kicking away the low shot with his left boot.
Second Half
The second half was less eventful than the first. Both sides threatened but struggled to create many quality goal-scoring opportunities. Torino created the first real chance midway through the half after playing out of the back. Francesco Dell’Aquila made a long run across midfield before passing to Zannetos Savva on his right. Savva ran at Nosa Obaretin, dribbling to his right before going for goal, but the shot struck the outside of the goal.
Five minutes later Antolini tested Boffelli with a powerful left-footed strike from outside the area, but the Napoli shot-stopper was well-positioned to punch the ball away.
Napoli did not create their first chance until the 76th minute, when Benedetto Barba played a long cross into the area from the right side of the midfield. Substitute Cedrick Koffi controlled the ball at the second post before teeing up Gioielli in front of the goal. However, the midfielder’s volley finished well off target.
Tempers flared after Weidmann and substitute Landry Boni got tangled up at midfield. After a brief scrum, both players were shown red cards and the match concluded 10-v-10.
Napoli’s best chance of the half came in the 83rd minute after Enrico Giannini won a corner kick on the left side. Pesce was perhaps surprised that Bonavita’s inswinging cross fell to him at the second post. The forward had half the goal to shoot at but somehow directed a weak effort straight at Passador.
Though Napoli pushed forward for the equalizer, they struggled to create any meaningful chances. Instead, Torino came close on the break. In the 89th minute, Torino substitute Francesco Dell’Aquila created a shooting chance on the right side of the area, but again Boffelli was there to make the save.
Moments later, Dell’Aquila made a long, marauding run into space from midfield. The Torino number 10 had substitute Aaron Ciammaglichella open to his right, but instead went for goal himself and forced an excellent save from Boffelli.
Napoli had one final chance in the fourth minute of stoppage time, when Giannini’s long throw-in bounced to Barba at the edge of the area. The centra defender did not connect well on the volley, but the ball sliced towards the top corner of the Torino goal. It took a full stretch from Passador to push the ball out for a corner kick.
In the end, the home side did not show enough urgency until it was too late, suffering their first loss in three matches.
