By Napoli secured a commanding 4-0 victory over Cagliari at the Sardegna Arena on Sunday, moving temporarily to the top of Serie A and continuing their impressive start under new manager Antonio Conte.
The win marks Conte’s tenth victory in 14 encounters against Cagliari and extends Napoli’s winning streak to three consecutive league matches under his leadership.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo opened the scoring for Napoli in the 18th minute with a deflected shot from the edge of the box, wrong-footing Cagliari goalkeeper Simone Scuffet. Despite Cagliari’s attempts to equalize, including close chances from Paulo Azzi and Roberto Piccoli, Napoli maintained their lead into halftime.
The second half saw Napoli extend their advantage, with Georgian star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia coolly slotting past Scuffet to double the lead. Kvaratskhelia then turned provider, setting up Romelu Lukaku for Napoli’s third goal following a defensive error by Cagliari. Lukaku’s strike marked his seventh goal in eight appearances against the Sardinian side.
Alessandro Buongiorno completed the rout in stoppage time, heading home from a corner to seal the 4-0 victory.
“Our performance today was a testament to the hard work and tactical discipline we’ve been implementing,” Conte said post-match. “Kvaratskhelia was exceptional, but this was truly a team effort.”
The result highlights the contrasting fortunes of the two sides. While Napoli climbs to the top of Serie A, albeit potentially temporarily, Cagliari drops to second-bottom in the table. The hosts have now failed to score in three matches this season and have managed only one win in their last 27 encounters with Napoli.
Cagliari manager Davide Nicola, who has yet to secure a victory against Conte in four meetings, expressed disappointment: “We created chances but lacked the final touch. Napoli’s quality was evident today, and we must learn from this experience.”
Kvaratskhelia’s performance earned him the Man of the Match accolade, underlining his growing importance to Napoli’s title ambitions. The Georgian’s combination of goal-scoring and playmaking abilities has become a cornerstone of Napoli’s attacking prowess under Conte’s system.
As the Serie A season progresses, Napoli’s form under Conte will be crucial in their bid to challenge for the Scudetto. The emphatic nature of this victory sends a strong message to their title rivals about their intentions this season.
For Cagliari, the result underscores the challenges they face in their battle against relegation. With only one win so far this season, Nicola’s side will need to regroup quickly to turn their fortunes around in the competitive landscape of Serie A.
