Atalanta delivered a decisive blow to Napoli’s six-game winning streak, triumphing 3-0 at the Diego Maradona Stadium and ending the Serie A leaders’ perfect home record.
Also Read: Serie A Match Report! Napoli vs Atalanta Match Updates, News and Scores (3rd November, 2024)
With two first-half goals by Ademola Lookman and a late strike from Mateo Retegui, Atalanta left no room for doubt in a display that saw Napoli struggle defensively and offensively under manager Antonio Conte.
Napoli entered the clash as Serie A’s only team with an unbeaten home record this season, but within ten minutes, their defense faltered, allowing Lookman to pounce on a loose ball and score the opening goal.
Napoli’s troubles only worsened as Lookman doubled Atalanta’s lead with a brilliant long-range shot, skillfully assisted by Charles De Ketelaere, leaving Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo outmaneuvered.
Conte’s side showed defensive frailties and couldn’t create any real threats in the final third before halftime, trailing by two.
Despite increased attacking efforts in the second half, Napoli found few opportunities and were closer to conceding another goal. An offside call saved them early on, while Lookman missed a chance to secure a hat-trick.
However, Atalanta eventually found their third goal in stoppage time when Retegui, coming off the bench, capitalized on Napoli’s weakened defense, marking their most substantial league loss since their season opener against Hellas Verona.
Napoli Player Ratings
- Alex Meret – 3: Little he could do about the first goal, but partially culpable for the second. Unsteady performance.
- Giovanni Di Lorenzo – 2: Struggled against Lookman and paid the price for passive defending.
- Amir Rrahmani – 3.5: Poor positioning exposed Napoli’s defense multiple times.
- Alessandro Buongiorno – 6: Showed determination lacking in the rest of the backline.
- Mathias Olivera – 3: Outplayed by De Ketelaere, failing both defensively and offensively.
- Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa – 4: Lacked defensive urgency and ball control in midfield.
- Billy Gilmour – 5.5: Provided minimal impact, unable to create forward movement.
- Scott McTominay – 6: Managed some attacking momentum, narrowly missing a goal.
- Matteo Politano – 4.5: Contributed little, raising questions about Conte’s continued reliance on him.
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – 4: Frustrated and ineffective, resorting to complaints over performance.
- Romelu Lukaku – 4: Marked out of effectiveness by Isak Hien, failing to make an impact.
Substitutes
- Cyril Ngonge – 4.5
- Giacomo Raspadori – 3.5
- David Neres – 3.5
- Leonardo Spinazzola – 5.5
- Giovanni Simeone – 2
Napoli will aim to bounce back after this significant defeat, while Atalanta continues their ascent in Serie A, showcasing their intent to challenge for top positions.
