Napoli’s Serie A title defense got off to a disastrous start on Sunday, suffering a 3-0 defeat at Hellas Verona. The match was marred by an injury to star midfielder Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who collided with an opposing player in the first half and was forced to leave the field before halftime.
The first half saw a tense and closely fought battle, with neither side able to break through. However, the tide turned dramatically in the second half, with Verona taking control of the game and scoring three unanswered goals.
Five minutes into the second half, Dailon Livramento found himself unmarked in front of the Napoli defense, slotting in a cross from close range to give Verona the lead. Napoli struggled to find their rhythm, and Verona doubled their lead in the 75th minute when Daniel Mosquera received a through ball and calmly struck a right-footed shot into the back of the net.
To make matters worse, Verona added a third goal in stoppage time, with Mosquera completing his brace. Napoli’s defense faltered, allowing Mosquera to tap in a close-range pass to seal the victory for Verona.
The result leaves Napoli with a mountain to climb in their title defense. New manager Antonio Conte will be eager to bounce back from this disappointing start and get his team back on track.
Meanwhile, AS Roma began their campaign with a goalless draw at Cagliari, while city rivals Lazio secured a 3-1 victory over newly promoted Venezia. Lazio’s victory was marred by an early scare when Venezia scored after just three minutes, but they ultimately recovered to dominate the match.
