GENOA – Massimiliano Allegri made no mistakes in his first competitive match as Napoli coach. The Azzurri conquer Marassi by beating 2-0 Genoa and earned their first three points of the championship. A victory built in the second half and decided by the coach's decisions: Kevin De Bruyne and Antonio Vergara, who came on in the second half, scored the two goals.
Genoa started with more intensity and managed to limit the Azzurri's play in the first half. Napoli, however, grew as the minutes passed and picked up pace in the second half, finding the two goals that decided the match in the final minutes.
Genoa aggressive, Napoli contained in the first half
The Azzurri's start was characterized by a slow pace and some errors in the build-up play. Genoa, on the other hand, tried to attack high up the pitch and take advantage of the momentum of the Ferraris crowd.
Napoli's most interesting initiatives come above all from the side lanes, with Alisson Santos e Leonardo Spinazzola, but without creating particularly dangerous occasions.
In defense he stands out Amir Rrahmani, effective in tackling and reading the ball, as well as in trying to restart the Azzurri's action.
Both teams conceded little. Shots on target were limited and the first half ended with a draw. 0-0.
Allegri changes Napoli, De Bruyne breaks the deadlock
In the second half, Allegri tried to change the momentum of the match through substitutions. Among the new arrivals were De Bruyne and Vergara, who replaced respectively André-Frank Zambo Anguissa e Matthew Politano.
Napoli gradually increased the pressure, but Genoa managed to maintain the balance until the final ten minutes.
The turning point comes at’82′. De Bruyne capitalizes on a rebound in the box and fires home the shot that puts the Azzurri up 1-0. Genoa protests the goal, but the referee allows the goal.
Vergara closes the deal at Marassi
Five minutes later, Napoli doubled their lead. Napoli quickly counterattacked, and this time De Bruyne provided the assist.
The Belgian serves Vergara, who concludes the action by beating the Genoa goalkeeper and scoring the final goal in the 87th minute 2-0.
It was a particularly positive evening for the two substitutes and for Allegri, who found the decisive solutions from the bench to break the deadlock in a match that had remained tied for a long time.
Napoli thus began the new championship with an away win and three points, while Allegri earned his first official victory in his time as coach of the Azzurri.
