Napoli Beat Genoa 2-0 with Late De Bruyne Strike
Napoli made the perfect start to their Serie A campaign with a 2-0 win at Genoa, thanks to second-half goals from Kevin De Bruyne and A. Vergara at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium.
Genoa controlled the majority of possession with 52%, but it was Napoli who made their chances count, converting two of their five shots for a clinical 40% efficiency rate.
The first half finished goalless, but Napoli broke the deadlock in the 82nd minute through De Bruyne before Vergara added a second five minutes later to put the result beyond doubt.
Amir Rrahmani was influential throughout despite not registering on the scoresheet, earning a match rating of 7.9 for his performances at the back and in helping Napoli build attacks from deep.
Napoli’s efficiency in front of goal stood in contrast to their underlying numbers, with an xG of just 0.1 compared to Genoa’s 0.58. Genoa managed nine shots but only two on target, underlining their struggles in the final third despite their territorial control.
The result continues Napoli’s dominance in this fixture – they have now won 20 of the 30 meetings between the sides, with Genoa winning just twice.
The win sees Napoli open the season with three points and move into the Champions League places, as they look to build on the momentum after a difficult campaign last time out.
