MILAN — Antonio Conte has Khvicha Kvaratskhelia back to his brilliant best and Napoli back to winning ways.
Kvaratskhelia set up one goal and scored the second as Napoli beat Bologna 3-0 in Serie A on Sunday for the first win of the Conte era.
Conte became Napoli’s fifth coach in little more than a year when he was hired in June but his new team crumbled 3-0 at Hellas Verona in his first match back in Serie A. Napoli also lost Kvaratskhelia to a minor head injury in that match but the Georgia winger was back on Sunday — despite also having just returned from his home country after his wife gave birth to their first child this week.
It was a different Napoli right from the start and Giacomo Raspadori almost scored in the opening minute.
Kvaratskhelia hit the crossbar shortly before halftime with a looping header from the tightest of angles but Napoli didn’t have to wait much longer for the first goal under Conte.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo started the move in first-half stoppages, cutting inside from the right before passing to Kvaratskhelia, who played him a superb ball back, dinking it over the Bologna defence for Di Lorenzo to sweep into the far side of the net.
And Kvaratskhelia got on the scoresheet himself in the 75th, racing downfield from just inside the Bologna half and firing into the bottom left corner from the edge of the area, with the help of a slight deflection.
Kvaratskhelia celebrated by sucking his thumb in an apparent dedication to his newborn son.
Kvaratskhelia also had a hand in the third, in stoppage time. as he threaded the ball through to new signing David Neres, who rolled it across for Giovanni Simeone to slot past Łukasz Skorupski.
Surprise defeats
Atalanta and Roma both fell to shock defeats.
Atalanta, which was one of only four sides to win on the opening weekend, had a penalty saved and hit the woodwork twice in a 2-1 loss at Torino.
Summer signing Mateo Retegui headed Atalanta into the lead in the 26th minute but Che Adams set up Ivan Ilic for the equalizer five minutes later and scored himself at the start of the second half.
Retegui and Charles De Ketelaere saw efforts come off the bar and Atalanta had an even better chance to level in stoppage time when it was awarded a penalty for a foul by Valentino Lazaro on Atalanta teenager Federico Cassa.
Mario Pasalic stepped up but saw his spot kick saved by Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic
Roma lost 2-1 at home to Empoli.
Fiorentina was jeered off the field after a drab 0-0 draw at home to newly promoted Venezia.
Napoli secured their first win under new manager Antonio Conte as they defeated Udinese 2-0 in Serie A action on Sunday. The victory was a much-needed boost for the team, who had struggled in their previous matches under Conte’s leadership.
The star of the match was 20-year-old winger Eljif Elmas, who scored both goals for Napoli. However, it was the performance of another young talent, 21-year-old Georgian midfielder Lasha Kvaratskhelia, that truly stood out.
Kvaratskhelia was instrumental in Napoli’s victory, providing the assist for Elmas’ first goal and putting in a solid performance throughout the match. His pace, skill, and vision on the ball were key in unlocking Udinese’s defense and creating opportunities for his teammates.
The young midfielder’s performance was a testament to his growing importance in Conte’s system and his ability to make an impact at the highest level of Italian football. Kvaratskhelia’s emergence as a key player for Napoli bodes well for the team’s prospects under Conte’s leadership.
The win against Udinese was a significant step forward for Napoli, who had struggled to find their rhythm under Conte in recent weeks. The victory will provide a much-needed confidence boost for the team as they look to climb up the Serie A table and challenge for a top-four finish.
Overall, Kvaratskhelia’s performance and Napoli’s win against Udinese are positive signs for the team as they continue to adapt to Conte’s tactics and style of play. With young talents like Kvaratskhelia leading the way, Napoli fans can be hopeful for a successful season ahead.