Inter defeated Napoli 3:2 in Serie A's third round at the Giuseppe Meazza on Friday evening. The match produced five goals across a tense second half, with the hosts emerging victorious despite Napoli taking an early lead. Inter now sit top of the table with three wins from three, while Napoli drop to 12th place after two defeats.
Napoli struck first through Matteo Politano in the 50th minute, but Inter responded quickly. Rasmus Hojlund equalised just three minutes later before Lautaro Martínez put the hosts ahead in the 56th minute. Marcus Thuram added a fourth in the 82nd minute, though Lautaro Martínez's late goal in stoppage time was the one that mattered for the final scoreline.
We had backed the home side at 55 per cent confidence, and the prediction held true. Inter controlled the tempo after the break, turning possession into genuine chances where Napoli's defence struggled to keep up. The visitors created fewer clear opportunities, and their attack couldn't find the same rhythm they showed in earlier fixtures.
Inter dominated possession at 63 per cent and registered 22 shots compared to Napoli's seven. Their expected goals figure of 3.86 told the story of sustained pressure, though shots accuracy sat at just 28 per cent. Napoli were more efficient with their efforts, managing 44 per cent accuracy, but couldn't convert enough to trouble the scoreboard consistently.
Both sides made several substitutions in the second half, with Inter bringing on Piotr Zieliński and Marcus Thuram in particular to change the dynamic. Yellow cards were shown to Antonio Vergara, Lautaro Martínez, and Rafael Marin Zamora across the ninety minutes, suggesting a physical contest.
The result extends Inter's winning streak to five consecutive matches, including victories over Juventus and Milan in recent weeks. Napoli's run of form has stalled significantly, with only one win from their opening three games now looking fragile against the league leaders.
