Napoli go top of Serie A with comfortable win over Monza
Following a sobering start to the campaign with a 3-0 opening-day defeat at Hellas Verona, Antonio Conte has overseen a dramatic upturn in form that yielded 10 points from their previous four league games. On paper, the visit of a winless Monza side to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona seemed like the ideal opportunity to continue that resurgence.
The Partenopei managed just that by netting a 22nd-minute opener, courtesy of Matteo Politano. It would have made legendary Italian defensive stalwart Alessandro Nesta wince in the dugout, as Biancorossi defender Alessandro Bianco inadvertently provided an assist for the Napoli forward to fire home from a tight angle.
With that goal, Politano became only the third player to score in each of the last 10 Serie A seasons - since the 2015/16 campaign - alongside Duván Zapata and Paulo Dybala.
The hosts doubled their lead 12 minutes later following some more hapless Monza defending when Stefano Turati’s clearance was cut short, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia rifled in the loose ball after Andrea Carboni blocked Scott McTominay’s initial effort.
Nesta’s men were chasing shadows for most of the half, and the way in which Conte’s players seamlessly interchanged positions would have given the notoriously demanding head coach plenty of satisfaction heading into the break.
It looked like a case of normal service resumed after the break, with Kvaratskhelia anticipating Warren Bondo’s indecision in midfield to play in Lukaku, but the Belgian’s effort was blocked by Pablo Mari.
McTominay came within inches of opening his Napoli account from the subsequent corner, rising highest to meet Politano’s delivery and heading narrowly wide of the far post. There were some signs of encouragement for the visitors though, with Elia Caprile forced into his first meaningful action of the game to save Milan Djuric’s header, before Daniel Maldini’s eye-catching free-kick skimmed the side-netting.
Despite the second-half endeavour from the Biancorossi, it was not enough to get on the scoresheet and leave Nesta’s side as one of only two teams - along with Cagliari - yet to taste victory in Serie A this season. They remain 19th, while Conte’s men are now sitting pretty in pole position - a point clear of Juventus.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Stanislav Lobotka (Napoli)