Daijiworld Media Network - Bologna

Bologna, Nov 10: Napoli’s goal drought continued as Antonio Conte’s side suffered a 2-0 defeat at Bologna on Sunday, failing to score for the third consecutive match despite facing a teenage, third-choice goalkeeper.

Napoli remain level with AC Milan at the top of Serie A but are just one point ahead of Inter Milan, Roma, and Bologna. Inter played Lazio later Sunday, after Roma’s home clash with Udinese.

The Serie A leaders have struggled without Kevin De Bruyne, who was injured in a 3-1 win over Inter last month and is expected to miss matches until the new year. Napoli managed a 1-0 win at Lecce in their first game without the former Manchester City midfielder but followed that with goalless draws against Como and Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.

After Milan’s draw at Parma on Saturday, Napoli had a chance to move clear at the top, and the match seemed to tilt in their favour when Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski left the field in the eighth minute due to a muscle injury. Seventeen-year-old Massimo Pessina made his senior debut.

However, Napoli struggled to test the young keeper, and Bologna broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half despite losing another player — Jonathan Rowe — to injury. His replacement, Nicolò Cambiaghi, set up the opener, crossing for Thijs Dallinga to slot in at the near post.

Bologna doubled its lead in the 66th minute as Colombia defender Jhon Lucumí scored his first Serie A goal with a header.

Elsewhere, new Genoa coach Daniele De Rossi and Fiorentina counterpart Paolo Vanoli made their debuts in a thrilling 2-2 draw, which included a penalty save by David De Gea. Fiorentina remain bottom of the table, two points below Genoa and three from safety.

Atalanta’s crisis deepened with a 3-0 home defeat to Sassuolo, marking their seventh league match without a win, despite a midweek Champions League victory over Marseille.