In a surprising turn of events at the Estadio Diego Maradona, Napoli suffered a setback in their pursuit of a Europa League spot as they fell to a 0-2 defeat against Bologna. The visitors wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Dan Ndoye breaking the deadlock in just the 9th minute of the game. Stefan Posch extended Bologna’s lead just three minutes later, capitalizing on an assist from Riccardo Calafiori to make it 2-0.
Napoli had an opportunity to claw their way back into the game when Victor Osimhen won a penalty in the 20th minute. However, Matteo Politano’s effort from the spot was thwarted by the Bologna goalkeeper, denying Napoli a chance to narrow the deficit. Osimhen also had a shot saved by the goalkeeper in the 69th minute, as he was played through on goal.
With this defeat, Napoli finds themselves in a precarious position, winless in five league games and sitting in 8th place with 51 points. Their hopes of securing a Europa League berth have taken a hit, as they now trail behind the chasing pack. On the other hand, Bologna’s victory propels them to third place in the standings, although their position is subject to change depending on the outcome of Juventus’ match against Salernitana. Nevertheless, Bologna’s impressive performance against Napoli has certainly bolstered their ambitions for a strong finish in the league.
