Lukaku Nets Last-gasp Winner As Napoli Edge Verona 2-1

Add as a preferred source on Google

Romelu Lukaku delivered a dramatic winner in the 96th minute as Napoli beat Verona 2-1, keeping the visitors firmly in the Champions League qualification race and ending a long personal wait for a Serie A goal after a difficult, injury-disrupted start to the season.

The Belgium international returned to the scoresheet for Napoli with a powerful low finish past Lorenzo Montipo, providing an emotional moment for the forward and the visiting support after Verona had threatened to snatch victory in a tense finale at Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi.

Lukaku missed the first four months of the campaign with a thigh problem and had not scored in Serie A since a penalty against Cagliari on May 23, 2025, meaning the 281-day gap between league goals is the longest Lukaku has experienced in Europe’s top-five divisions.

Napoli struck early in Verona, taking the lead after just two minutes. Matteo Politano whipped in a cross from the right, Antonio Vergara glanced it on, and Rasmus Hojlund sent a looping header across goal, the ball kissing the post before dropping beyond Montipo.

Napoli continued to create chances before the interval. Eljif Elmas forced Montipo into a strong save with a fierce shot from distance, and Hojlund almost doubled the advantage after rounding the Verona goalkeeper, only for Andrias Edmundsson to retreat and clear near the line.

The match swung on a controversial corner in the 64th minute. Alessandro Buongiorno believed Kieron Bowie had fouled Buongiorno before the ball went out, but the officials awarded a corner, which dropped invitingly for Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro, whose strike deflected off Hojlund and beat Alex Meret.

Antonio Conte received a yellow card as Napoli frustrations grew and Verona chased a decisive goal. Meret misjudged a cross at the back post in the closing stages, presenting Bowie with a chance, but Bowie failed to convert, a miss that proved costly moments later.

Lukaku punished Verona from that escape when Giovane Simeone’s cross took a deflection and fell into space. Lukaku reacted fastest and drilled a precise shot beyond Montipo, sealing an away victory that ensured Napoli did not lose further ground in the Champions League qualification battle.

Shot data underlined how little separated the sides. Both Verona and Napoli recorded eight attempts, but Napoli produced higher-quality openings. Expected goals numbers showed Verona at 0.31 and Napoli at 0.85, highlighting how Lukaku’s sharp finish turned a finely balanced contest in favour of Conte’s team.

The late strike at Verona not only gave Napoli three important Serie A points but also signalled Lukaku’s full return from injury, with the forward’s decisive contribution reinforcing Napoli’s pursuit of Champions League qualification and offering renewed optimism for the remainder of the campaign.