Nicola, widely regarded as a survival specialist, was appointed earlier in the week to replace the outgoing Giovanni Stroppa. His immediate impact was felt at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, where Venezia claimed their first top-flight victory against Napoli since 1942, providing a much-needed boost to their survival prospects.
Akor Adams strikes as Napoli falter
The match remained largely stagnant until the early stages of the second half, when the deadlock was finally broken. In the 49th minute, Nigerian forward Akor Adams capitalised on a long ball, firing a strike that took a deflection to beat Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret. The goal forced a reaction from Napoli manager Massimiliano Allegri, who turned to his bench to introduce high-profile stars Rasmus Hojlund and Kevin De Bruyne.
The substitutes nearly made an immediate impact, with Hojlund denied a certain goal by a desperate goal-line clearance from Juan Jesus. Hojlund later proved instrumental in winning a penalty for his side after being brought down in the area by Matias Moreno. However, Napoli’s hopes of an equaliser were dashed when De Bruyne’s spot-kick was expertly saved by Filip Stankovic, who dived low to his right to preserve the lead.
Stankovic heroics seal historic result
As the match entered its final stages, Stankovic emerged as the hero for the hosts. The goalkeeper, son of former Inter midfielder Dejan Stankovic, produced a series of vital saves to deny Stanislav Lobotka and Alisson Santos, ensuring Venezia held onto their narrow advantage until the final whistle.
For Napoli, the defeat compounds a difficult week following their midweek Champions League loss to Villarreal. The club has now lost five of its first nine matches across all competitions—a statistic not seen in 25 years. Addressing the media after the match, Allegri urged his squad to remain focused ahead of their upcoming Champions League fixture against Bodo/Glimt. Napoli currently sit ninth in the Serie A standings with 10 points from seven games, while Venezia remain at the bottom of the table with three points.
