Romelu Lukaku delivered a stunning 96th-minute winner to rescue Napoli in a dramatic 2-1 victory over Hellas Verona on Saturday during Serie A Matchday 26. The Belgian striker's late intervention ensured the Partenopei maintained their title charge, while Inter Milan kept the pressure on with a comfortable 2-0 win over Genoa at San Siro. Earlier in the day, Como secured an impressive 3-1 triumph over Lecce in a result that boosted their survival hopes.
At the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Napoli appeared to be cruising after Rasmus Hojlund opened the scoring in just the second minute of the match. However, Hellas Verona showed remarkable resilience and equalized through Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro in the 64th minute, stunning the home crowd into silence. As the clock ticked past 90 minutes, it seemed as though Antonio Conte's side would have to settle for a frustrating draw that could have dealt a significant blow to their Scudetto aspirations.
Then came the moment of magic. Deep into the sixth minute of stoppage time, Lukaku found space inside the penalty area and fired home to send the Maradona into raptures. The former Chelsea and Inter striker wheeled away in celebration as teammates mobbed him near the corner flag. The goal underlined Lukaku's reputation as a player who thrives in the biggest moments, and head coach Conte praised the squad's refusal to accept anything less than three points.
At San Siro, Inter Milan delivered a professional performance to dispatch Genoa 2-0 and maintain their pursuit of the league leaders. Federico Dimarco broke the deadlock in the 31st minute with a well-placed finish, before Hakan Calhanoglu doubled the advantage from the penalty spot in the 70th minute. Simone Inzaghi's men controlled possession throughout and rarely looked troubled by a Genoa side that offered limited attacking threat. The clean sheet was Inter's tenth of the campaign, reflecting their defensive solidity this season.
The afternoon's action began with Como's convincing 3-1 victory over Lecce at the Sinigaglia. Lassana Coulibaly gave Lecce an early lead in the 13th minute, but Como responded emphatically. Andrija Douvikas equalized in the 18th minute before Josip Rodriguez put the hosts ahead with a well-taken goal in the 36th minute. Marc Kempf then added a third just before halftime in the 44th minute to seal a comfortable win. The result moved Como further away from the relegation zone and left Lecce in a precarious position near the bottom of the table.
The results from Saturday's fixtures have significant implications for the Serie A title race and the battle to avoid relegation. Napoli's dramatic late winner keeps them firmly in contention at the top of the standings, while Inter's routine victory ensures the gap at the summit remains narrow. Both clubs will look to carry their momentum into upcoming fixtures as the season enters its decisive final stretch.
With 12 matches remaining in the 2025-2026 Serie A campaign, the title race promises to deliver further twists and turns. Napoli's next challenge will test their mettle once again, while Inter will seek to continue their steady accumulation of points. At the other end of the table, Como's victory provides a lifeline in their fight for survival, but Lecce face an increasingly difficult battle to preserve their top-flight status.
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