Lukaku scores last-gasp winner as Napoli claim vital victory at struggling Verona

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/napoli/69Dxbc61/"]Napoli[/a]’s recent slump has seen them exit the Coppa Italia and lose any real chance of retaining their Scudetto, so they were searching for a response here and got one almost immediately.[/p][p][b]The Partenopei raced into a second-minute lead when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/politano-matteo/lxWZKRDD/"]Matteo Politano[/a]’s cross was only cleared as far as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hojlund-rasmus/0lk9Mt7D/"]Rasmus Hojlund[/a], who looped an exquisite header into the far corner for his ninth league goal of the season.[/b][/p][p]Antonio Conte’s men remained on top for much of the first half, but ultimately failed to add to their lead. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lobotka-stanislav/0Qcw6Yy1/"]Stanislav Lobotka[/a] fired over from the edge of the area, while goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/montipo-lorenzo/WhLULVuN/"]Lorenzo Montipo[/a] got down well to his left to keep out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/elmas-elif/vDVD8EAA/"]Eljif Elmas[/a].[/p][p]Hojlund looked set to double his tally for the night when he rounded Montipo, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nelsson-victor/v32bmxF6/"]Victor Nelsson[/a] recovered to block the Dane’s goalbound effort.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="dfb6a31c-364c-4126-a93a-d41167bad847" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="e1679db2-e0f5-4379-a6e2-fcdf9cf37f64" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vergara-antonio/0bwMG5SF/"]Antonio Vergara[/a] fired over for Napoli in a low-key start to the second period which saw [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/verona/rJVAIaHo/"]Verona[/a] up the tempo significantly. And the Gialloblu soon got their reward in the form of an equaliser, but it wasn’t without controversy.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/buongiorno-alessandro/UDMnkfdo/"]Alessandro Buongiorno[/a] was incensed that a corner was awarded against Napoli, and the visitors’ mood got no better when Hojlund could only clear as far as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/akpa-akpro-jean/xnUevERr/"]Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro[/a], and he then inadvertently deflected the Verona midfielder’s strike past his own goalkeeper.[/b][/p][p]Napoli needed some time to regain their composure after being pegged back, but they were soon back on the front foot and only a smart save from Montipo prevented Elmas from restoring their lead.[/p][p]Despite the introductions of the fit again [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lukaku-romelu/dCkG0Iw0/"]Romelu Lukaku[/a] and former Verona man [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/giovane/Acdt8IJU/"]Giovane[/a], Napoli struggled to sustain attacks in the closing stages.[/p][p][b]Yet, deep into stoppage time, the pair combined as Lukaku pounced on Giovane’s cross and stabbed home his first club goal since May, helping Napoli to just a third win in eight outings. [/b][/p][p]Verona, meanwhile, have now won just one of their last 18 home league matches and remain rooted to the foot of the table, on course for a first relegation since 2018.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nelsson-victor/v32bmxF6/"]Victor Nelsson[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/verona/rJVAIaHo/"]Hellas Verona[/a])[/b][/p][image alt="Player ratings" id="83b6c3fa-3256-40ef-b9fd-2e3158546d70" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="c785f951-8e68-4d93-bc10-c714c2760c12" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/napoli-69Dxbc61/verona-rJVAIaHo/?mid=fuDgXrPQ"]Click here for more on the match.[/a][/b][/p]