Napoli keeps pressure on Serie A leader Inter with 2-1 win over Fiorentina, Atalanta beats Juve 4-0

By Canadian Press on March 9, 2025.

MILAN (AP) — Napoli kept up the pressure on Serie A leader Inter Milan as it finally got back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina on Sunday.

Romelu Lukaku scored one and set up the other for Giacomo Raspadori to help Napoli move back to within a point of Inter, which fought back from two goals down to beat Monza 3-2 on Saturday.

Atalanta proved it is very much among the fray with a statement 4-0 win at fourth-placed Juventus to close the gap back to three points to Inter.

Fiorentina’s hopes of making it into the top four diminished after its fourth loss in five league matches.

Napoli also came into the match on a mediocre run, having drawn four of its past five matches and losing the other.

But the hosts took the lead in the 26th minute following great work from Scott McTominay as he cut inside from the left and unleashed a shot that former Manchester United teammate David de Gea could only parry into the path of Lukaku, who tapped in the rebound.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo hit the crossbar for Napoli as Fiorentina had De Gea to thank for a number of impressive saves that kept it in the match.

Napoli eventually doubled its lead on the hour mark with a team move that ended with Lukaku playing a through ball for Raspadori to sweep into the bottom right corner.

Fiorentina pulled one back six minutes later as a backheeled flick from Moise Kean released Albert Guðmundsson to drill low into the near corner.

Head-to-Head

The match in Turin was a head-to-head battle for third place, with just three points separating Atalanta and Juventus.

The league’s top scorer, Mateo Retegui, gave Atalanta the lead in the 29th from the spot after United States international Weston McKennie was penalized for handball.

It was Retegui’s 22nd goal in Serie A this season — seven more than nearest challenger Kean.

A combination of the woodwork and Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio prevented Atalanta from doubling its lead on the stroke of halftime but Marten de Roon did get the visitors’ second within a minute of the restart after Ademola Lookman’s effort was parried.

Davide Zappacosta all but sealed the match in the 66th and Lookman capped a fantastic performance from him and Atalanta 11 minutes later.

Juventus was heavily booed at full time.

Fast goal

Matías Soulé scored after only 22 seconds to set Roma on its way to a 1-0 win at relegation-threatened Empoli.

Statistics provider Opta said it was Roma’s fastest goal in a Serie A match (since that data started being collected in 2004).

It was a fifth straight win in all competitions for Roma, which visits Athletic Bilbao in the second leg of the Europa League round of 16 on Thursday.

Roma also extended its unbeaten run in Serie A to 12 matches, leapfrogging Fiorentina into seventh.

In-form Bologna

Bologna continued its fine form with a 2-1 win at 10-man Hellas Verona.

That was a third straight win for sixth-place Bologna, which has only lost one league match in 2025 — a run of 11 games.

Verona is four points above the relegation zone.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Daniella Matar, The Associated Press

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