Bologna Stun Napoli in Serie A Shake-Up
Napoli's Serie A title ambitions suffered a significant blow on Sunday as they fell to a 2-0 defeat away to a resilient Bologna side. The loss leaves Antonio Conte's team second in the table, level on points with AC Milan, and intensifies the pressure at the top of the league.
Dallinga and Lucumí Seal the Deal
The match at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara witnessed an early scare for the hosts when first-choice goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski appeared to sustain a leg injury, forcing 17-year-old Massimo Pessina into a surprise Serie A debut. Despite this setback, Bologna grew into the game and broke the deadlock five minutes after the interval. Thijs Dallinga opened the scoring with a clever, outside-of-the-foot finish from close range after meeting a low cross from the byline.
The home side doubled their advantage in the 66th minute when defender Jhon Lucumí powered a header into the net from inside the penalty area. Napoli tried to mount a response, with Noa Lang hitting the post shortly after, but Bologna's defence stood firm to secure a memorable three points. The victory pushes Bologna to 21 points, joining the chasing pack of Inter and Roma.
Real Madrid Frustrated in Vallecas
In parallel La Liga action, Real Madrid were held to a 0-0 draw by a dogged Rayo Vallecano. This result marks the first time this season that the league leaders have failed to score in a match. The stalemate moves Xabi Alonso's side to 31 points from 12 games, potentially allowing Barcelona to close the gap.
The hero for Rayo was undoubtedly their goalkeeper, Augusto Batalla. The Argentine shot-stopper produced a series of fine saves to deny the Madrid attack. Kylian Mbappé, La Liga's top scorer with 13 goals, was kept uncharacteristically quiet, managing just one shot as Madrid failed to win at the Estadio de Vallecas for the fourth consecutive season.
