Napoli 2-0 Qarabağ Player Ratings: McTominay Rated 8.5/10 as His Goal Secures Comfortable 2-0 Win

The home side controlled possession and the tempo of the game, creating numerous chances throughout. The breakthrough came in the second half. Scott McTominay, who was a menace all evening, rose highest to head home from a corner. The goal felt deserved and opened the floodgates for more pressure. Qarabağ's resistance was finally broken again, albeit through a moment of sheer misfortune.

What stood out to us was Qarabağ's goalkeeper, who was honestly spectacular despite the scoreline. The match was sealed by an unfortunate own goal from Marko Jankovic, compounding a difficult night for the visitors which also saw them concede a penalty that Rasmus Højlund shockingly missed. Ultimately, a comfortable and professional win for the Italian side.

Here are Napoli Vs Qarabag Player Ratings

Napoli Player Ratings vs Qarabag

Here are Napoli Player Ratings vs Qarabag

Goalkeeper

Vanja Milinković-Savić - 7.0: It was a quiet night for the keeper. He made three saves but was rarely tested by a Qarabağ attack that struggled to find its footing. He commanded his area well and his distribution was clean. A comfortable evening's work.

Defenders

Alessandro Buongiorno - 7.0: A solid and composed performance at the back. He was tidy in possession with a 91% pass accuracy and looked comfortable stepping out of defence. He was a bit clumsy at times, committing three fouls, but was generally reliable before being subbed off late on.

Amir Rrahmani - 7.5: What a rock. From our perspective, he was immense. He made a crucial last-man tackle and wasn't afraid to put his body on the line, earning a yellow card for a cynical foul. His passing was almost perfect, showcasing his composure under pressure.

Sam Beukema - 7.0: Played for just over an hour but didn't put a foot wrong. He was excellent on the ball, moving it forward with purpose. His positioning was sound, and he contributed to a very stable defensive unit before being substituted.

Midfielders

Scott McTominay - 8.5: What a performance. This was the man of the match, no question. He was absolutely everywhere, breaking up play and driving forward. He scored the crucial opening goal with a powerful header, hit the woodwork, and was a constant threat. An all-action display.

Mathías Olivera - 7.0: A really solid outing from the midfielder. He was incredibly tidy in possession, rarely giving the ball away. He defended diligently and offered support going forward, even creating a chance with a good cross. A disciplined and effective game.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo - 7.5: The captain led by example. His clever movement won the penalty in the second half, a key moment even though it was missed. He was a constant outlet on the right and defended stoutly, though he did give away a few too many fouls for our liking.

Stanislav Lobotka - 7.0: The silent engine room of the team. He kept everything ticking over with an incredible 94% pass accuracy. He wasn't flashy, but his simple, effective play allowed the more attacking players to shine. A very intelligent performance.

Forwards

David Neres - 7.5: Always looked like making something happen. He was a livewire, creating three chances and constantly trying to beat his man. He was unlucky to hit the woodwork. If his final shot had been a little more precise, he could have had a goal or two.

Rasmus Højlund - 5.5: A truly frustrating night for the young striker. He'll be having nightmares about that missed penalty. He also squandered two other big chances. While his movement was good, his finishing was completely off. He looked dejected when he was subbed.

Noa Lang - 6.0: A mixed bag. He got into some dangerous positions and showed flashes of his quality, but his end product was lacking. He missed a big chance and picked up a silly yellow card. There's talent there, but it didn't quite come off for him tonight.

Substitutes

Matteo Politano - 7.0: Came on and made an immediate impact, providing the cross from the corner that led to McTominay's goal. Looked sharp.
Eljif Elmas - N/A: Not enough time to make an impact.
Lorenzo Lucca - N/A: Brought on late to see the game out.
Antonio Vergara - N/A: A late cameo.
Juan Jesus - N/A: Came on in the final moments.

Manager

A. Conte - 8.0: He set his team up perfectly to control the match. His tactics nullified any threat from Qarabağ and his substitutions were spot on, particularly the introduction of Politano. A very professional job from the boss.

Qarabag Player Ratings vs Napoli

Here are Qarabag Player Ratings vs Napoli

Goalkeeper

Mateusz Kochalski - 8.0: An absolutely heroic performance. Without him, this could have been a cricket score. He saved a penalty from Højlund and made a staggering seven saves in total, several of them spectacular. He was easily Qarabağ's best player on the pitch.

Defenders

Matheus Silva - 5.5: He really struggled against the pace and movement of Napoli's attackers. He lost possession far too often and looked overwhelmed before being substituted. A tough evening for the defender.

Bahlul Mustafazada - 6.0: He was busy, that's for sure. He made four clearances and blocked two shots, but he was part of a defence that was under siege for 90 minutes. He battled hard but it was a thankless task.

Elvin Cafarquliyev - 6.5: We were impressed by his work rate. He won all seven of his duels and made several key tackles. He never gave up and tried to provide an outlet on the flank when possible. One of the few who can hold his head high.

Kevin Medina - 5.5: His night was cut short by injury, but he had a difficult time before that. He picked up a yellow card and struggled to contain the flow of Napoli's attacks. Hopefully, the injury isn't too serious.

Midfielders

Marko Jankovic - 4.5: A disastrous night for him. He conceded the penalty with a clumsy challenge and then scored a very unfortunate own goal. Despite creating three chances, those two moments defined his game. He'll want to forget this one quickly.

Abdellah Zoubir - 6.5: The captain tried his best to get his team going. He was neat on the ball and created a few opportunities for his teammates. However, he couldn't stamp his authority on a game where his side was second best in every department.

Emmanuel Addai - 6.0: Full of energy and running but lacked the quality to make a real difference. He had four shots but none really troubled the goalkeeper. He worked hard defensively but was often bypassed.

Pedro Bicalho - 6.0: He worked tirelessly in the midfield but was fighting a losing battle. He made a few tackles and interceptions but was ultimately part of a midfield unit that was completely overrun by Napoli's quality and movement.

Leandro Andrade - 5.0: Almost anonymous. He was on the pitch for an hour but we can barely remember him touching the ball. He offered very little going forward or defensively before being rightly substituted.

Forwards

Camilo Durán - 5.5: He was isolated for most of the match. It's a tough job being the lone striker in a team that's defending for its life. He had one shot on target but was given very little service to work with.

Substitutes

Samy Mmaee - 6.0: Came on for the injured Medina and did okay under difficult circumstances.
Oleksii Kashchuk - N/A: Had little opportunity to influence the game.
Nariman Akhundzada - N/A: Brought on when the game was already lost.
Toral Bayramov - N/A: Not enough time to rate.
Dani Bolt - N/A: A late substitute.

Manager

Q. Qurbanov - 6.0: What could he do? His team was simply outclassed by a superior opponent. He set them up to be compact, but individual errors and a gulf in quality were their undoing. It's hard to be too critical of his approach.

Sportsdunia's player of the match is McTominay