Matteo Politano, coming off the bench, scored a decisive late goal, securing a 1-0 victory for Napoli over AC Milan. This win propelled Napoli into second place in Serie A, while simultaneously extending Inter’s lead at the top of the table to seven points.
The match was a pivotal encounter in the title race, pitting the third-placed team against the second-placed team to determine which side would strengthen its position as a contender to current leaders Inter.
Napoli faced several key absences. Rasmus Hojlund was sidelined due to illness, and Romelu Lukaku was unavailable after seeking treatment in Belgium, forcing Giovane into a makeshift centre-forward role. David Neres, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, and Antonio Vergara were all out with injuries.
AC Milan also contended with significant roster challenges. Both Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic were only fit enough for substitute roles, and Matteo Gabbia was a long-term absentee. Manager Max Allegri opted for a new attacking duo of Niclas Fullkrug and Christopher Nkunku, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek making his return after six weeks recovering from facial fractures.
Early in the game, Luka Modric’s skillful play drew a foul from Alessandro Buongiorno, earning him a yellow card. From the resulting free-kick, Strahinja Pavlovic’s header narrowly missed the near post. Leonardo Spinazzola created a chance by dribbling past Youssouf Fofana, curling a shot just wide of the top corner. Later, Nkunku was played through on the left by Fofana but couldn’t keep his shot on target.
After the restart, Giovane had a good opportunity, forcing a superb one-handed save from Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan with a strike from outside the box. Maignan continued his strong performance, parrying a close-range effort from Kevin De Bruyne, who had been set up by Spinazzola. Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa also had a header from a promising position that went wide.
The decisive moment arrived in the 79th minute. Mathias Olivera delivered a cross towards the far post, which Koni De Winter weakly flicked on with his head. The ball fell perfectly for substitute Matteo Politano, who, from a tight angle, expertly volleyed it with his left foot, giving Napoli a crucial lead.
In a frantic end to the game, Milan pressed for an equalizer. Santiago Gimenez saw his header go just over the bar from a Zachary Athekame cross, and Rafael Leao also shot over after linking up with Pulisic.
Match Summary
- Final Score: Napoli 1-0 Milan
- Goal: Politano 79′ (Napoli)
- Date: April 6, 2026
- Venue: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona