Giacomo Raspadori came off the bench to score the only goal NapoliRelegation-battling 1-0 home win VeneziaThat moved them to second place in the Serie A standings and level on points with leaders Atalanta.
Antonio Conte’s hosts were on the attack from the off, with Filip Stankovic twice denying the home side with close-range saves from Amir Rahmani and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Venezia began to find a foot in the game, almost taking the lead but Alex Merrett pulled off a reflex save with his legs to keep out John Yeboah’s effort.
A handball by Jay Edges after Mathias Olivera’s shot Napoli Perfect chance to break the deadlock from the penalty spot, but Stankovic went the right way and got down quickly to get a hand to Romelu Lukaku’s powerful low strike.
Both sides continued to create chances after the interval, with Venetia’s Hans Nicolucci Caviglia almost floating a free-kick under the crossbar but Merrett cleared the danger with a two-handed punch. Lukaku had a chance to redeem the penalty miss when he turned two defenders to take the ball into the area before taking a shot away, but Stankovic got a hand on the strike, which headed straight.
Napoli struggled to find a way past the visitors, before Raspadori scored in the 79th minute, nine minutes in. David Neres played a pass across the box which was touched down by Venezia’s Antonio Candela, but the ball fell kindly to Raspadori who curled a first-time finish into the far corner. Raspadori has been linked with a move away from Napoli in January after starting just two league games under Conte this season, but the forward could have a change of heart.
Napoli have 41 points, one ahead of defending champions Inter, with Venezia second from bottom on 13 points.
In the early kick-off of the day, Torino Come back from two goals behind to draw 2-2 Udinese. Suleimane Toure and Lorenzo Luca struck either side of half-time to put the hosts in control, but Che Adams reduced the arrears and Samuel Ricci struck a level after 64 minutes.
