Napoli’s Serie A title bid took another dramatic turn on Saturday night at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, as a 3–2 victory over Genoa was not secured until the final seconds of added time, when Rasmus Højlund stepped up to convert a 95th-minute penalty that snatched all three points. In a match packed with twists, a superb away fightback and late controversy, Napoli’s resilience was on full display, even as fights for Serie A supremacy narrow with each passing round.
The drama began practically from the first whistle. Genoa were awarded an early penalty after a defensive mix-up and Ruslan Malinovskyi calmly dispatched the spot-kick in just the 3rd minute to give the hosts a dream start. The home crowd roared as Genoa, under coach Daniele De Rossi, chased hopes of extending their unbeaten run and climbing out of the relegation zone.
But Napoli’s response was swift and emphatic. Within minutes, the visitors had turned the game on its head. Rasmus Højlund was first to pounce in the 20th minute, reacting quickest to a rebound and steering the ball into the net to level the score. Moments later, Scott McTominay unleashed a powerful long-range strike that flew past Genoa keeper Justin Bijlow, giving Napoli a 2–1 lead before halftime. McTominay’s goal was nearly as impressive as the sequencing that led to it, a quick transition that caught Genoa slightly off-balance and showcased Napoli’s ruthless counterattacking threat.
Napoli’s spirited comeback appeared to have put them in firm control, but the second half brought fresh twists. In the 57th minute, Genoa clawed themselves level once more when Lorenzo Colombo capitalised on a defensive lapse to fire past goalkeeper Alex Meret. The strike, driven with confidence into the bottom corner, turned the momentum and sent the home support into raptures. For a moment, it felt like the hosts might complete a stunning comeback of their own.
The match’s drama didn’t stop there. Napoli were dealt a blow in the 76th minute, when defender Juan Jesus was shown a second yellow card and sent off, leaving the visitors down to ten men. Forced into a more defensive posture, Napoli demonstrated both tactical discipline and physical resilience, managing the rest of regulation time without conceding again.
As the game edged toward full time, it seemed destined for a draw, a result that would have left both sides with something to build on, but little to truly celebrate. Yet deep into stoppage time, VAR intervened once again. A corner saw Antonio Vergara go down under a challenge from Genoa substitute Maxwel Cornet, and after a VAR review the referee pointed to the spot.
With just about everyone bracing for full-time, Højlund stepped up for the penalty. The Danish international sent Genoa keeper Bijlow the wrong way and tucked the ball home in the 95th minute, sealing a dramatic 3–2 victory for Napoli and leaving the home fans stunned. It was the sort of finish that drives stadiums into disbelief, and headlines for days.
This was a match of tactical ebb and flow. Genoa’s early intensity and hunger put Napoli under early strain, but Napoli’s ability to respond quickly, particularly in transitional moments, proved decisive. McTominay, operating in a more advanced midfield role, provided both a goal and dynamic link-play that unsettled Genoa’s shape. Højlund’s intelligent movement also kept defenders unsettled throughout, especially in tight pockets between the lines.
Genoa, for their part, rarely sat back. Their pressing approach in midfield and willingness to commit numbers forward created moments of serious danger, as evidenced by Colombo’s goal and sustained pressure in the second half. Yet Napoli’s blend of clinical finishing and late game management under pressure ultimately gave them the edge.
Napoli’s victory keeps them firmly in the Serie A title conversation, moving them to 49 points and closing the gap on league leaders Inter Milan and second-placed AC Milan. Meanwhile, Genoa’s spirited performance matched by tactical bravery and attacking ambition, marks them as a team to respect, even if this result proved cruel in its final moments.
This clash at the Luigi Ferraris had everything, early drama, tactical shifts, a fiery equaliser, a red card, and a winning goal in the dying moments. It was the kind of football that tests belief, rewards persistence, and delivers an ending that will be talked about long after the final whistle. In Serie A’s unforgiving title race, Napoli’s resilience kept the dream alive and reminded everyone just how fine the margins can be in the beautiful game.
