McTominay shines despite penalty miss, De Bruyne nets first open-play goal, and Napoli overwhelm a struggling Cremonese
Napoli responded emphatically after their setback against Lazio, dismantling Cremonese 4-0 at the Stadio Maradona in Matchday 34 of Serie A. Antonio Conte’s men delivered a commanding performance from start to finish, climbing—at least temporarily—back into second place while piling more misery on a Cremonese side now firmly entrenched in the relegation battle.
The hosts wasted no time asserting control. Just three minutes in, Scott McTominay found space between the lines and drilled a precise diagonal shot into the far corner to open the scoring. It set the tone for a one-sided contest in which Napoli’s midfield and attacking movement repeatedly carved open a disorganized Cremonese defense.
Despite dominating possession and territory, Napoli had to wait until the closing stages of the first half to double their lead. Rasmus Højlund led the charge with determination, firing from the edge of the box and forcing a decisive deflection off Terracciano for an own goal. Moments later, Kevin De Bruyne added the third in stoppage time, reacting quickest to a loose ball in the area—marking his first open-play goal since joining Napoli.
The second half began much like the first ended. Within minutes, Alisson Santos produced a stunning solo effort, sprinting nearly 50 meters with the ball before calmly finishing to make it 4-0 and effectively end the contest.
Napoli continued to create chances, with Amir Rrahmani hitting the crossbar and McTominay seeing a late penalty saved by Emil Audero in the 83rd minute. Still, the missed opportunity did little to overshadow an otherwise dominant performance.
For Cremonese, it was another alarming display. Defensive errors, lack of cohesion, and minimal attacking threat highlighted a team that looks a shadow of its earlier-season form. With relegation looming, time is quickly running out for a turnaround.
Napoli, meanwhile, took a significant step toward securing Champions League football, showcasing both quality and depth in a convincing win.
Match Report
Napoli 4-0 Cremonese
Scorers: 3’ McTominay, 44’ (OG) Terracciano, 45+3’ De Bruyne, 52’ Alisson Santos
Napoli (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Olivera (54’ Beukema), Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Politano (54’ Mazzocchi), Lobotka (54’ Gilmour), McTominay, Gutierrez; De Bruyne (75’ Elmas), Alisson Santos; Højlund (61’ Giovane).
Head Coach: Conte
Cremonese (3-4-2-1): Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Luperto (61’ Folino); Floriani Mussolini (46’ Zerbin), Bondo (46’ Grassi), Maleh (78’ Barbieri), Pezzella; Payero, Okereke (46’ Vandeputte); Bonazzoli.
Head Coach: Giampaolo
Referee: Doveri
Bookings: None
Red Cards: None
Note: 83’ Audero saved a penalty from McTominay
