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Super Eagles striker Akor Adams scored the decisive goal as Venezia secured a historic 1-0 victory over Napoli in Serie A on Saturday, ending an 84-year wait for a league win against the Italian champions.
Adams struck shortly after half-time at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, punishing Napoli for missing a clear opportunity moments earlier and handing Venezia their first league victory of the season.
The result provided a significant boost for Venezia, who had struggled to get their campaign underway, while Napoli missed the opportunity to strengthen their push for a place in the top four.
Adams punishes Napoli after missed opportunity
The first half produced few clear-cut chances, despite Napoli enjoying the greater share of possession. Midfielders Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay helped the visitors control proceedings, but their dominance did not translate into goalscoring opportunities that seriously troubled Venezia goalkeeper Filip Stankovic.
Napoli reportedly enjoyed about 70 per cent possession and registered eight attempts in the opening period, while Venezia threatened through John Yeboah, whose effort from outside the penalty area narrowly missed the target.
Neither side managed a shot on target before the interval, leaving the contest goalless at half-time.
Napoli had an opportunity to take the lead immediately after the restart when Lorenzo Lucca failed to connect with McTominay’s driven cross despite the goal being open.
Venezia capitalised almost immediately. A long ball over the top allowed Adams to use his strength to get ahead of Napoli defender Amir Rrahmani before firing past goalkeeper Alex Meret to give the hosts the lead.
The Nigerian forward’s clinical finish proved decisive in a contest in which Napoli struggled to convert their possession into goals.
De Bruyne misses penalty as Venezia hold firm
Napoli increased their attacking efforts in search of an equaliser, making substitutions to inject fresh energy into their forward line.
Substitute Rasmus Hojlund threatened on two occasions before earning a penalty that offered the visitors an opportunity to rescue a point.
However, Kevin De Bruyne failed to convert from the spot, sending his effort straight at Stankovic, who made the save to preserve Venezia’s advantage.
The goalkeeper remained influential during the closing stages, producing further interventions as Napoli pressed for a late equaliser.
Venezia also threatened on the counterattack, with Yeboah sending a promising opportunity over the bar, while Albion Rrahmani was denied by Meret after breaking through on goal.
The hosts eventually held on to claim all three points in a victory that carried considerable historical significance for the club.
Historic milestone for Venezia
The victory ended Venezia’s 84-year wait for a league win over Napoli, marking a notable achievement for the club despite their continued position at the bottom of the Serie A table.
The result also represented the first time Venezia had scored against Napoli in the Italian top flight since 1962, according to the report.
For Napoli, the defeat ended a three-match unbeaten run during which they had recorded two victories and a draw.
Adams’ goal further strengthened his contribution during his debut season with Venezia. Before Saturday’s encounter, the Super Eagles forward had scored once in five Serie A appearances and registered three goals and one assist in seven appearances across all competitions, including the Coppa Italia.
The striker will hope to build on the performance as Venezia seek to improve their league position, while Napoli will look to recover from the setback in their pursuit of a top-four finish.
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