(Football news) Napoli almost squandered a 3-0 lead and the chance of setting a club record of 11 consecutive Serie A victories but they managed to secure a 3-2 home win over Udinese on Saturday. Victor Osimhen put the league leaders ahead after just 15 minutes when the Nigerian International delicately headed home a cross from Eljif Elmas. Then the Polish international Piotr Zielinski doubled the lead in the 31st minute with a shot from the edge of the box after he was assisted by Hirving Lozano.
The hosts continued their dominance in the second half and Elmas quickly made it 3-0 when he was set free by Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in the 58th minute. Udinese on the other hand had a never say never attitude as they reduced the deficit 11 minutes from full time when Isaac Success chested the ball to Nestorovski who scored. Lazar Samardzic pulled another goal back three minutes later and at this point Luciano Spalletti was clearly a frustrated figure as his side somehow held on in the closing stages to secure the victory. Napoli will go to the World Cup break top of the standings with 41 points, eight points ahead of AC Milan while Udinese have slipped to eighth place after a promising start to the season.
AC Milan again needed a stoppage-time winner as this time a own goal from defender Nikola Milenkovic secured a 2-1 Serie A win against Fiorentina at the San Siro on Sunday. The hosts took the lead within 90 seconds in the first half when Olivier Giroud flicked the ball to Rafael Leao, who surged into the box and calmly placed the ball in the back of the net. Fiorentina should have equalised after eight minutes when Biraghi was played free, but his shot from an hit the post and bounced out.
Barak then deservedly equalised for Fiorentina after 28 minutes when his shot went in after deflecting off Malick Thiaw following some scrappy football from Milan inside the box. Into stoppage time, Ante Rebic sent an enticing cross into the box, with Milenkovic miscalculating and directing the ball into his own net. Milan climbed up to second with 33 points as they go into the World Cup break, with Fiorentina are 10th with 19 points.
The other results were:
- Juventus 3 (Kean x2, Milik) – Lazio 0
- Roma 1 (Matic) – Torino 1 (Linetty)
- Atalanta 2 (Lookman, Palomino) – Inter 3 (Dzeko x2, Palomino(og)
- Bologna 3 (Aebischer, Arnautovic, Ferguson) – 0 Sassuolo
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