Serie A | Napoli 2-1 Fiorentina: Vergara inspirational for much-needed victory

Antonio Vergara and Miguel Gutierrez got their first ever Serie A goals to put Napoli back on track against Fiorentina, but Giovanni Di Lorenzo was stretchered off.

The Partenopei were coming off back-to-back defeats to Juventus and Chelsea, the latter sealing their Champions League elimination midweek. The epic injury crisis meant there was no room for squad rotation, as Vanja Milinkovic-Savic was only fit for the bench, with David Neres, Matteo Politano, Amir Rrahmani, Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Kevin De Bruyne and Billy Gilmour out. The Viola also lost two on the bounce, 2-1 to Cagliari in Serie A and a Coppa Italia exit to Como. Tariq Lamptey was the only absentee, as Moise Kean returned to the bench after an ankle issue.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Miguel Gutierrez volleyed just wide from the edge of the area, but Napoli broke through with an emotional moment for Vergara. The hometown player scored his first Champions League goal against Chelsea, and here got his first in Serie A.

The long Alex Meret ball was meant to be for Rasmus Hojlund, but as Marin Pongracic brought him down, it kept going with Vergara sprinting clear to beat the on-rushing David De Gea.

Scott McTominay’s acrobatic bicycle kick went over the bar, while Pongracic charged down another Vergara strike.

Hojlund twice tried to tap in a roll across from the right, but it was charged down right on the line by Pietro Comuzzo, who deflected it onto the base of the upright.

Moments later, Fiorentina had a huge double opportunity from a free kick, as first Roberto Piccoli’s header bounced off the upright, then the move continued and Alex Meret made an extraordinary reaction save on Albert Gudmundsson from point-blank range.

During that move, Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s left knee buckled and he was stretchered off in agony, replaced by Mathias Olivera.

Eljif Elmas rode three tackles for a shot deflected by Marco Brescianini, then McTominay tested De Gea on the rebound, while Hojlund struck the side-netting on a Vergara lay-off.

Rolando Mandragora came on and immediately skimmed the upright with a free kick, but Napoli doubled their lead instead.

Vergara spread the play down the right for Miguel Gutierrez, who cut inside Robin Gosens and bent a left-foot finish into the far bottom corner, with De Gea perhaps unsighted.

Fiorentina did get one back when Dodo sent Piccoli through the middle, forcing a Meret save, but Manor Solomon was ready to turn in the rebound.

Hojlund twice aimed weak finishes into the arms of De Gea, while Kean was offside when he dribbled around Meret to clip the outside of the upright.

Kean did force a tricky save out of Meret at the near post moments later, and Mandragora’s strike was charged down from the resulting corner.

A deflected McTominay attempt was tricky for De Gea and Giovane’s volley was charged down, but Piccoli turned wide when off balance in stoppages from six yards on a Dodo cross.

Kean sprung the offside trap on Fagioli’s floated ball only to scuff the angled drive wide after a heavy first touch.

Napoli 2-1 Fiorentina

Vergara 11 (N), Gutierrez 49 (N), Solomon 57 (F)