Napoli Player Ratings vs Udinese: Lukaku & Neres Phenomenal

Napoli returned to winning ways in Serie A after last Sunday’s home upset against Lazio, beating Udinese 3-1 at the Bluenergy Stadium. Antonio Conte’s side overturned a halftime deficit in Udine to maintain a two-point distance on table-topping Atalanta.

With Khvicha Kvaratskhelia injured, there were questions over Napoli’s capacity to outperform a mediocre xG on the road. And the game didn’t start well for the Partenopei as Stanislav Lobotka handled the ball inside his 18-yard box, sending Florian Thauvin to the spot in the 22nd minute.

Though Alex Meret thwarted Thauvin’s attempt from the spot, the Frenchman pounced on the rebound to put Udinese in front. Despite creating several decent half-chances for the remainder of the first half, Napoli failed to draw level before halftime.

However, they only needed five minutes into the second half to restore parity. Scott McTominay released Romelu Lukaku in space with a defense-splitting pass. The Belgian striker showed strength and composure to shrug off his marker before finishing with aplomb.

Napoli turned the game on its head in the 76th minute through Lautaro Giannetti’s bizarre own goal following David Neres’ superb solo run. Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa put the game to bed five minutes later, bursting through the middle before firing home beneath Razvan Sava.

Let’s look at our player ratings.

Napoli (4-3-3)

Alex Meret – 7

In addition to saving Thauvin’s penalty, the Italian goalkeeper pulled off two more vital blocks in another reassuring performance between the sticks.

Mathias Olivera – 6.5

Following a stuttering start to the match, the Uruguayan defender grew into the contest, showing glimpses of his attacking potential while standing firm at the back.

Alessandro Buongiorno – 6.5

Fighting Lorenzo Lucca in the air is among the most daunting tasks in Serie A, but the ex-Torino center-back was up to the challenge. He was equally impressive on the ground.

Amir Rrahmani – 6

Conte cannot be pleased with his defensive mainstay’s showing, considering his poor anticipation let him down several times, forcing Buongiorno to intervene to avert the danger.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo – 6.5

His noticeable form resurgence was on full display, with the Napoli captain being omnipresent in attack without neglecting his defensive duties.

Stanislav Lobotka – 6

An unfortunate penalty overshadowed an otherwise decent performance from the diminutive midfielder, who kept his passes sharp and clean without taking many risks in possession.

Scott McTominay – 7.5

Apart from his laser-sharp pass to set up Lukaku for the equalizer, the Scottish star was Napoli’s driving force in the midfield, with his unmatched energy and tireless runs making a difference.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa – 7

Scoring has never been his strongest suit, but the Cameroonian ace netted a phenomenal solo goal. He picked up the ball at the halfway line and breezed down the middle before demonstrating a routine execution.

David Neres – 7.5

Filling Kvaratskhelia’s shoes is no small feat, yet the Brazilian winger was equal to the task, causing constant havoc to Udinese’s defense and massively contributing to Napoli’s second.

Matteo Politano – 6.5

After a lively first-half showing, the ex-Inter forward ran out of steam after the break, diminishing his overall impact.

Romelu Lukaku – 6.5

Despite barely having a sight of goal in the opening 45 minutes, the robust striker maintained composure and calmness to convert the first scoring chance.

Substitutes

Giovanni Simeone – 6.5