Serie A | Napoli 1-0 Venezia: Raspadori puts Partenopei joint top

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Giacomo Raspadori came off the bench to score his first goal of the season, sending Napoli joint top to beat Venezia despite a saved Romelu Lukaku penalty.

The Partenopei knew a victory would put them joint top of the table with Atalanta, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Lazio last night. Alessandro Buongiorno will be out for several weeks after hurting his back in training, but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia returned to the starting XI with David Neres in for Matteo Politano following flu symptoms. The Lagunari were unbeaten in three and fresh from a win over Cagliari, but Michael Svoboda, Antonio Raimondo, Alfred Duncan and Richie Sagrado missed out.

Referee Matteo Marchetti pulled out in the warm-up, so swapped places with fourth official Francesco Cosso.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

It was a bright start from the hosts, Filip Stankovic getting just enough on the Amir Rrahmani shot to prevent him scoring from six yards after three minutes.

Stankovic also had his gloves stung by Kvaratskhelia, but Alex Meret needed a desperate reaction save with a trailing boot to stop John Yeboah drilling in from 10 yards after a give and go with Francesco Zampano.

After a series of corner kicks, Napoli received a penalty when the Matias Olivera cross-shot was charged down by the arm of Jay Idzes. However, Lukaku saw his spot-kick parried by Stankovic to keep Venezia on level terms. The only previous Serie A penalty the Belgian failed to convert was against Lecce for Roma in November 2023.

NAPLES, ITALY - DECEMBER 29: Romelu Lukaku of Napoli shows his disappointment during the Serie A match between Napoli and Venezia at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on December 29, 2024 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) — NAPLES, ITALY – DECEMBER 29: Romelu Lukaku of Napoli shows his disappointment during the Serie A match between Napoli and Venezia at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on December 29, 2024 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Napoli wasted a double opportunity soon after, as first McTominay’s effort was charged down, then Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa ballooned over the bar.

Hans Nicolussi Caviglia stung Meret’s gloves with an in-swinging free kick, but Stankovic denied Lukaku on 64 minutes with a great save to palm the powerful angled drive onto the inside of the far post.

Napoli finally broke through when the low David Neres cross from the left was deflected, landing kindly for substitute Raspadori to smash in first-time from 10 yards. The forward, who has been linked with a January exit, had not scored for his club since April.

Stankovic got his fingertips to a Matias Olivera cross-shot to keep Venezia in it to the end.