FLORENCE, Italy : Napoli strolled to a comfortable 3-1 win away to Fiorentina on Saturday, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring on his debut as the defending champions continued their perfect start to the season and moved back to the top of the Serie A standings.
Hojlund, unwanted by Manchester United, was a deadline day loan signing by Napoli, desperate for a striker after Romelu Lukaku’s injury, and the former Atalanta man marked his return to Serie A with a dream debut for Antonio Conte’s side.
Conte has already turned around the fortunes of another United outcast, Scott McTominay, with the Scottish midfielder named Serie A’s player of last season, and on this display, the Napoli manager looks to have already worked his magic on the Dane.
Napoli are top on nine points, ahead of Juventus – who defeated Inter Milan 4-3 earlier on Saturday – on goal difference. Fiorentina, still seeking their first win of the season, remain on two points after three games.
Fiorentina were forced into some frantic scrambling at the back early on. Keeper David de Gea saved from Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Robin Gosens cleared Hojlund’s follow-up effort, but Pietro Comuzzo then fouled Frank Anguissa to concede a penalty.
Kevin De Bruyne stepped up and sent De Gea the wrong way to give Napoli a sixth minute lead.
The visitors doubled their advantage eight minutes later after a defence-splitting pass from Leonardo Spinazzola sent Hojlund racing into the area and the Dane coolly slotted the ball past De Gea.
“”I’m very happy with the goal,” Hojlund told Sky Sport Italia.
“Today we won an important match, and I’m really glad I scored and to be part of this incredible team.”
Napoli threatened to run riot, with Hojlund laying a pass back to De Bruyne in the area but this time De Gea made a fine save from the Belgian’s deflected effort and the hosts went in 2-0 down at the break.
Six minutes after the interval Napoli made it three with another debut goal. Matteo Politano forced De Gea into a point blank save and from the resulting corner Anguissa’s pullback was tapped in by Sam Beukema inside the six-yard box.
Politano hit the upright with a rebound shot after De Gea saved from McTominay, and while Napoli conceded their first goal of the season when Luca Ranieri pulled one back for Fiorentina with 11 minutes left, they came away with a well deserved three points after an impressive performance in Florence.
Napoli, who did not have the distraction of European football last season, begin their Champions League campaign with an away trip to Manchester City on Thursday.
“I think we just need to focus on the next match and keep sharp,” Hojlund added.
“Everybody is going to play a lot of minutes, because we’re in a lot of tournaments with a lot of games.”
