The 139th Serie A meeting between AC Milan and Napoli saw the Partenopei take all three points in a 2-1 win which was started by a controversial Lorenzo Insigne goal.
Still unbeaten in domestic football this season, Napoli face a side who have underwhelmed with increasing pressure on Rossoneri coach Vincenzo Montella. Despite Milan winning their last two away matches, they haven’t won three in a row since March 2012.
Insigne continued his good form against Milan with his sixth goal in 10 league appearances against the Rossoneri, though it was initially ruled offside, it was then allowed after VAR review.
Substitute Piotr Zielinski then doubled the advantage on 73 minutes, four after coming on. Alessio Romagnoli scored a fantastic volley in stoppage time, which only turned out to be a consolation.
As a result, Napoli extend their lead at the top of Serie A to four points, with Juventus facing a tough trip to Sampdoria on Sunday afternoon.
It was the home side who went closest early on, after Jose Callejon’s header was knocked away by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
At the other end, Suso cut in from the right and tried a low drive into the near corner, but Pepe Reina saved easily.
Allan and Raul Albion both had half chances, but neither could take advantage of slack defending from Milan.
Then, just after the half hour, Insigne got on the end of a spectacular long through ball over the defence by Jorginho, before striking past Donnarumma from the edge of the area.
GOOOOOAAAAALLL!!! #Insigne scores, ruled offside, VAR SAYS GOAL!!! Controversial goal at the San Paolo 1-0 #NapoliMilanpic.twitter.com/SN5DodLz3h
— Lega Serie A (@SerieAchannel) November 18, 2017
Initially he was flagged for offside, but referee Daniele Doveri went to the VAR and gave the goal after replays showed he was just being played on by Romagnoli.
From there Napoli asserted their dominance, with Donnarumma denying the hosts time and time again.
Insigne almost had goal number two, this time it was Reina providing the long probing ball, but the Neapolitan could only smack the upright.
As the half time whistle approached Donnarumma was again in action, producing a flying save to deny Insigne once again.
After the break, Insigne played Dries Mertens in on goal, but one-on-one with Donnarumma, the goalkeeper stood strong and batted the ball away with his forearm.
Milan did come back into it, pressurising the Napoli defence, but were unable to cause any real problems for the Partenopei backline.
That impotence in the final third from the Rossoneri was punished by Napoli as Mertens lofted a ball over the defence, into the path of Zielinski who made no mistake, driving the ball through Donnarumma from the left.
GOOOOOAAAAALLL!!! Against the run of play but #Zielinski makes it 2-0 | 73' #NapoliMilanpic.twitter.com/KsfxZnf3dG
— Lega Serie A (@SerieAchannel) November 18, 2017
Nikola Kalinic had a good chance from a Franck Kessie cross, but his header was straight at Reina.
There was a late consolation for Milan after Romagnoli volleyed in from 25 yards out into the far right corner.
GOOOOOLAAZOOOO!!!! Alessio #Romagnoli breathes some life into this with a bombaaa!!! 2-1 | 90+1' #NapoliMilanpic.twitter.com/XuZOoJ915J
— Lega Serie A (@SerieAchannel) November 18, 2017
