Napoli 0-3 Internazionale – Inter put three past hosts to clinch convincing away victory in Serie A

A clinical, confident Inter went to town in Naples, scoring three goals worthy of champions against the defending Serie A title holders.

Napoli will wish they could replicate their away form on home turf. A fourth Serie A defeat at the Stadio Diego Maradona, and a fifth consecutive game in all competitions without a win, leaves them 11 points off the title pace in only the first week of December.

Inter, in contrast, even without producing devastating performances are on a real roll of form that could prove a platform for a true, long-term title challenge.

And all it took was a late first half wonderstrike from playmaker Hakan Calhanoglu, a goal worthy of winning any game, to start the chain reaction that would ultimately restore the Nerazzurri to the league summit in the race for the Scudetto.

Before going a goal down, Napoli arguably had the better of the first half, making chances, registering eight shots and putting the away side under plenty of pressure. They came within inches of taking the lead in the 36th minute, when Politano cut inside to his left foot and let rip with a shot that beat the keeper but not the bar.

Into the second half the Napoli fans might have expected their team to come out fighting, but instead they were presented with eleven players all but conceding defeat. Inter had the run of the next 45. Their second goal, a tidy sweep home from Nicolo Barella at the end of an elegant but easy ball in by Lautaro, came as less of a surprise than their first.

Inter’s third and final goal was the easiest of all, as Marcus Thuram, so often the provider, waltzed into the Napoli box. Colombian Juan Cuadrado easily picked him out and all the Frenchman had to do was guide the ball home.

Napoli will be wondering how they can come back from this. Inter can almost consider themselves champions-in-waiting.

Make no mistake: a three goal victory over the reigning champions is a demolition, no matter which team is inflicting it, and however you slice it. That Napoli will not defend the Scudetto seems psychologically certain, if not mathematically. For Inter’s part, it would perhaps not be unreasonable for them so much from this result that all they have to do is see the season out. When it’s this easy the results, surely, come? Who needs to try? They need to be careful. Although they have title-winning ability in abundance, and did not need to really try, in order to put three past Napoli, most matches will not be this easy. Most teams will put up a more robust defence, will not roll over like Napoli did tonight. If Inter expect the results to just fall into their lap, that’s how they will come unstuck. Confidence is the mark of champions, hubris was what caused Icarus to fall to earth.

Involved in all three goals, he assisted the first goal, scored the second and began the move which led to the third, a contribution at least as valuable for its subtlety. By switching the ball from one flank to the other Barella opened the play, allowing Cuadrado to dash forward and giving Thuram the chance to advance into a goalscoring position. Inter might have finished the match with even more defensive problems than they began it, but they conclude it with even more attacking potential than even Inzaghi imagined before.

NAPOLI: Meret 5; Di Lorenzo 6, Rrahmani 5, Natan 4, Ostigard 5; Anguissa 5, Lobotka 4, Elmas 6; Politano 6, Osimhen 6, Kvaratskhelia 5… Subs: Zielinski 5, Zerbin 5, Lindstrom 4, Raspadori 6,

INTER: Sommer 7; Darmian 6, De Vrij 6, Acerbi 7; Dumfries 5, Barella 8, Calhanoglu 7, Mkhitaryan 6, Dimarco 6; Thuram 7, Martinez 6… Subs: Cuadrado 7, Arnautovic 6, Frattesi 6, Carlos Augusto 7, Bisseck 6

3’ – Chance for Napoli! Elmas shoots, hard and precise, from the edge of the box demanding a diving save of the highest quality from Sommer.

36’ – Chance for Napoli! Politano has a look and lets rip with his left foot from outside the box. The keeper was beaten, it just didn’t dip quite enough to go under the bar, crashing off the woodwork.

44’ – GOAL! Napoli 0 – 1 Inter (Calhanoglu) It started with a big cross from left to right met by a header down from Dumfries to Barella, who flicked it into the lap of Calhanoglu. The Turkish player hit it with the utmost venom into the bottom left corner.

61’ – GOAL! Napoli 0 – 2 Inter (Barella) A wonderful pass from Lautaro to feet but Barella still had much to do. He used the momentum to sweep forward into the box, negotiating attempted challenges, and just eging it past a flailing Meret at close range.

85’ – GOAL! Napoli 0 – 3 Inter (Thuram) The Frenchman advances into the box where Cuadrado picks him out with a beautifully waited low cross from the right. All Thuram had to do was lift back his right foot and gently guide the ball past a lost looking goalkeeper.