Napoli edge Sassuolo to return to winning ways

17 Jan 2026, 19:02 · CNA · Join

Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli v U.S. Sassuolo - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy - January 17, 2026 Napoli's Stanislav Lobotka scores their first goal REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli v U.S. Sassuolo - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy - January 17, 2026 Napoli's Stanislav Lobotka celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli v U.S. Sassuolo - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy - January 17, 2026 Napoli's Noa Lang in action with U.S. Sassuolo's Edoardo Iannoni REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli v U.S. Sassuolo - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy - January 17, 2026 Napoli's Scott McTominay speaks to Rasmus Hojlund REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli v U.S. Sassuolo - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy - January 17, 2026 Napoli's Rasmus Hojlund in action with U.S. Sassuolo's Sebastian Walukiewicz REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

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NAPLES, Italy, Jan 17 : Champions Napoli ended a run of three consecutive draws by beating Sassuolo 1-0 at home on Saturday to get their bid to retain the Serie A title back on track.

Napoli remained third, level on 43 points with second-placed AC Milan who host Lecce on Sunday, and six points behind leaders Inter Milan who beat Udinese 1-0 on Saturday. Sassuolo are 12th in the standings on 23 points.

"We're not getting the results we want, but the season is still long," Napoli defender Juan Jesus told DAZN.

"Today it was important to bring home these three points."

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The hosts' early pressure paid off with Napoli taking a seventh-minute lead. Eljif Elmas's shot was parried away by Sassuolo goalkeeper Arijanet Muric and Stanislav Lobotka volleyed the rebound into the roof of the net.

Sassuolo responded immediately with a strike from the edge of the area by Armand Lauriente which Napoli keeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic pushed away and Juan Jesus cleared before Andrea Pinamonti reached the rebound.

Napoli's Giovanni Di Lorenzo headed wide from a Leonardo Spinazzola cross and Luca Lipani shot narrowly wide at the other end as the game continued to offer up chances for both sides.

Milinkovic-Savic almost let a header from Aster Vranckx slip through, but managed to hold onto the ball at the second attempt and Napoli held their lead going into the break.

Napoli's keeper was in action again shortly after halftime, parrying away Lipani's strike as the visitors continued to cause trouble for the hosts.

Napoli were content to sit on their lead, rarely threatening Sassuolo apart from a Scott McTominay shot from distance which went just wide but they did just enough to take the points ahead of a tough trip to Juventus next weekend.

The win came at a cost for injury-hit Napoli as defender Amir Rrahmani and forward Matteo Politano both picked up knocks, with coach Antonio Conte already missing Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Andre Anguissa and David Neres.

"It's a shame this season has had so many injuries, but we keep working," Jesus added.

"We're in a good position in the table, and we'll keep going with the players we have."

Napoli edge Sassuolo to return to winning ways

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