Napoli beat Inter 3-1: De Bruyne opened the scoring, McTominay shined
VAR determined that Mkhitaryan fouled Di Lorenzo, De Bruyne kicked a penalty to open the score and then left the field; McTominay volleyed at 54', Anguissa at 67' to make it 3-1, Napoli went to the top of the table.
Napoli beat Inter 3-1 at Diego Maradona to move top of Serie A. Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring from the penalty spot after VAR determined Mkhitaryan had fouled Di Lorenzo. Scott McTominay volleyed home a goal in the 54th minute, Hakan Calhanoglu reduced the deficit in the 59th minute from a penalty before Anguissa scored the winner in the 67th minute.
Drama at Diego Maradona: VAR turning point and decisive kicks
Before the match, Cristian Chivu's Inter had a 7-game winning streak, while Napoli had just lost to Torino and PSV Eindhoven. With Rasmus Hojlund not yet recovered, Antonio Conte put David Neres in the center forward position to increase the speed in the front line.
Inter started braver, creating an early chance when Barella stole the ball from Spinazzola and set up Lautaro Martinez to finish, but goalkeeper Milinkovic-Savic saved. The deadlock was broken after half an hour: VAR intervened, determining Mkhitaryan had fouled Di Lorenzo in the box. De Bruyne scored the opening penalty, but was soon taken off with a right foot problem, replaced by Olivera.
Inter responded strongly. From a corner, Bastoni jumped high and headed against the crossbar. In first-half stoppage time, Lautaro shot wide and Dumfries headed against the post, but an equalizer still eluded the visitors.
Second half explosion: McTominay volleyed, Inter shortened the lead and was finished off
In the 54th minute, McTominay came from the home field, met Spinazzola's pass and volleyed the ball past Sommer, doubling Napoli's lead. Inter immediately rose up and just a few minutes later, Buongiorno handled the ball in the box. Calhanoglu beat Milinkovic-Savic from the 11m mark in the 59th minute, rekindling the visitors' hope.
The atmosphere on the field reached a climax. Conte and Lautaro argued loudly, forcing the referee to intervene. Just when Inter were busy looking for an equalizer, Anguissa broke through the middle and finished with a tricky shot in the 67th minute, sealing a 3-1 victory for Napoli.
Tactical analysis: Conte's decisions, the pass through the middle and the strength of the midfield
Conte chose David Neres as a central striker when Hojlund had not returned yet, giving Napoli a mobile striker to exploit the gaps behind the Inter defense. In a cautious first half, the home team mainly waited for opportunities from transition situations and dead balls. The penalty after VAR intervened was the turning point exactly as Conte wanted: taking the lead to control the tempo.
Napoli launched a precise long-range strike at the start of the second half: Spinazzola sent a pass over the line for McTominay to run from the second line and finish with one touch. The move demonstrated McTominay’s box-to-box role in Napoli’s system: supporting the defense and ready to penetrate the space behind the Inter midfielder.
Inter found hope from Chivu’s players with set pieces and fouls in the box. However, when it came time to finish, Napoli had another source of goals from midfield: Anguissa dribbled straight through the middle, finishing neatly to end the game.
Stats and highlights
- Score: Napoli 3-1 Inter
- Goals: De Bruyne (penalty), McTominay 54', Anguissa 67' – Calhanoglu 59' (penalty)
- Inter hit the woodwork twice in the first half (Bastoni crossbar, Dumfries post)
- Inter's seven-match winning streak in all competitions ended
| Time | Event | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Half 1 | VAR determined Mkhitaryan fouled Di Lorenzo; De Bruyne successfully kicked the 11m penalty | Napoli 1-0 Inter |
| 54' | McTominay volleyed home after Spinazzola's through ball | Napoli 2-0 Inter |
| 59' | Calhanoglu scored from the 11m mark after Buongiorno touched the ball with his hand. | Napoli 2-1 Inter |
| 67' | Anguissa broke through the middle to score | Napoli 3-1 Inter |
Post-match reactions
After arguing with Lautaro during the match, coach Antonio Conte explained: "When you play games like this, anything can happen. I took Inter to the Scudetto after 10 years, after nine consecutive victories for Juve, and you know what that meant to me. I have very good memories of that experience. Lautaro is an excellent player, but on a human level, maybe I don't know him very well. I wish him all the best, nothing happened."
Impact on the Scudetto race
The win took Napoli to the top of Serie A as Milan stumbled to a 2-2 win over Pisa thanks to Luka Modric’s injury-time assist. Inter missed the chance to go top after a seven-game winning streak, while Napoli – with McTominay leading the midfield – showed they were back in form after two recent defeats.
