Napoli Start Serie A Season with 2-0 Win Over Sassuolo

MILAN: Napoli launched its Serie A season in style with a 2-0 win at Sassuolo on Saturday as Scott McTominay powered in a first-half header before Kevin De Bruyne curled home a free-kick after the break.

The reigning champion endured a less-than-ideal build-up to the new season, with striker Romelu Lukaku sidelined through injury and Lorenzo Lucca stepping in as the lone forward.

However, it was the midfield, led by De Bruyne, that seized control, with the Belgian creating an early chance inside the opening minute and dictating tempo for most of the match.

Fellow midfielder McTominay, last season’s Most Valuable Player in Serie A, wasted no time in making his mark, powering a header into the net from Matteo Politano’s curling cross after just 17 minutes to fire Napoli ahead.

Sassuolo looked determined to prove itself back among Italian football’s elite, repeatedly testing the Napoli defence throughout the first half, but it was McTominay who came closest to adding a second for the visiting side when his effort rattled the bar just before the break.

Napoli dominated the second half, with Politano striking the post early on and Lucca unable to convert the rebound.

New signing De Bruyne doubled the advantage after 57 minutes, bending a free-kick from a tight angle over the crowded box and into the far bottom corner.

Sassuolo’s Serie A return took another downturn when Ismael Kone was shown a second yellow card just minutes from time for a foul on Lucca, leaving the host side to finish with 10 men.

AC Milan endured the worst possible start to its Serie A campaign, slipping to a 1-2 home defeat against newly-promoted Cremonese on Saturday. Agencies

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