Rasmus Hojlund scored a brace as Napoli secured their first Champions League win of the season with a 2-1 victory over Sporting CP.
Napoli finally got their Champions League campaign off to a winning start with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Sporting CP.
Rasmus Hojlund’s brace, assisted by Kevin De Bruyne, proved to be the difference-maker for the Italian side. Sporting CP, despite their valiant efforts, couldn’t overcome Napoli’s strong performance.
The match began with Sporting dominating possession in the opening minutes. However, Napoli gradually took control, with De Bruyne having an early opportunity to score, but his shot sailed high over the bar.
As the game progressed, Napoli’s dominance grew, and they capitalized on their chances. De Bruyne’s pinpoint pass to Hojlund in the 36th minute gave Napoli the lead, with the striker calmly slotting the ball past Rui Silva.
In the second half, Napoli continued to press, but their shots were largely long-range efforts that failed to trouble Silva.
Sporting seized the opportunity to equalize when Matteo Politano’s foul in the penalty box gave them a chance to score. Luis Suarez converted the penalty, sending Vanja Milinkovic-Savic the wrong way and tying the game at 1-1.
The equalizer seemed to knock Napoli off balance, and Sporting looked more comfortable with the score tied.
However, Conte’s tactical changes paid off when Noa Lang and David Neres came on to replace Scott McTominay and Politano. With ten minutes to go, De Bruyne delivered a precise corner kick that Hojlund headed in, securing Napoli’s lead.
The victory marked Napoli’s first win in the Champions League campaign, and it came after a loss to Manchester City in their opening game.
For Sporting CP, the loss was a setback, but they remain level on points with Napoli. Napoli now sits 19th in the league phase table with 3 points from their first two games.
