Napoli, after the Super Cup won in Riyadh, resumed their journey in the championship after the unexpected fall in Udine, beating a Cremonese team who tried to put up resistance without however managing to restrain the Neapolitans. Antonio Conte’s team was led once again by Hojlund, scorer of the brace that already paved the way for the Azzurri in the first half, but then he was able to manage energy and minutes well without spending too much, giving the sensation of always having full control of the progress of the match.
It’s a game that Napoli manages to break the deadlock quickly: in the 13th minute, after a rebound from Spinazzola’s shot, the ball reaches Hojlund who, a few steps from the goal line, only has to guide it into the net for the lead. Cremonese tries to react, builds some good opportunities and creates a couple of scrums in the area, but without managing to really disturb the Neapolitan rearguard, who are always attentive and well positioned. At the end of the first half the second goal arrived, again scored by Hojlund. Also in this case the action comes from a rebound: the attacker finds himself in front of the empty goal and scores the 2-0 goal, clearly directing the inertia of the match and sending the two teams to the locker rooms with a gap that already appears significant.
In the second half, Cremonese tried to change the face of the match with a series of substitutions in an attempt to raise the center of gravity and put pressure on Napoli’s maneuver. The Azzurri, however, manage possession in an orderly manner, slow down the pace and control without any particular worries, closing off every space and conceding very little. In fact, it is still Hojlund and Rrahmani who come close to scoring a hat trick, while Napoli’s maneuver remains fluid and clean.
In the second part Cremonese tries to push with more men, Grassi wastes a good opportunity, but Audero needs his best to say no to McTominay from the center of the area. Same challenge five minutes from the end with another excellent intervention by the grey-red goalkeeper on a shot from outside the area, who avoids a heavier deficit. The result no longer changes: a solid and deserved victory arrives for Conte’s team, which certifies the restart in the championship after the triumph in Riad; for Cremonese, however, the feeling remains of having fought generously, but of never having managed to find the right keys to truly reopen the match, leaving the field with the awareness of having to grow further to at least partially close the gap with the big teams.
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