SSC Napoli secured a 1-0 victory over Cagliari Calcio on Friday at the Unipol Domus. Midfielder Scott McTominay scored the match’s lone goal in the second minute to give Napoli their third consecutive Serie A win.
The decisive sequence occurred during an early corner kick, where a chaotic defensive clearance attempt by Cagliari allowed McTominay to find the net. Despite securing the early advantage, Napoli manager Antonio Conte displayed visible frustration on the touchline regarding his squad’s overall performance throughout the fixture.
The match featured multiple contentious physical exchanges. In the 18th minute, Napoli midfielder Stanislav Lobotka committed a hard foul on Cagliari’s Michael Folorunsho. Cagliari players protested aggressively for a red card, but the match official issued a yellow card to Lobotka. Later in the match, Cagliari appealed for a penalty following an alleged handball inside the box by Napoli defender Alessandro Buongiorno, which was ultimately dismissed by the referee.
The result directly impacts both the title race and the relegation battle in the 2025-26 Serie A standings. Napoli reaches 62 points, moving temporarily into second place ahead of AC Milan’s 60 points, keeping pressure on league leaders Inter Milan at 68 points. The home defeat leaves Cagliari vulnerable near the relegation zone, stalling at 15th place with 30 points.