Napoli 2-1 Torino Player Ratings: Gli Azzurri Hold On To A Narrow Victory As Casadei's Late Goal Fails To Hurt Conte's Men

Napoli secured a hard-fought 2-1 win against a resilient Torino side. This was a game of two distinct halves, where Napoli's early dominance seemed to set the stage for a comfortable evening.

Alisson Santos's early strike in just the 7th minute from the edge of the penalty box set the tone. It felt like Napoli could run away with it. However, Torino, to their credit, never gave up and grew into the game.

The second goal from Eljif Elmas, just eight minutes after the hour mark, looked to have sealed the deal. But a late goal from a Torino substitute, Cesare Casadei, raised the hopes of the handful of away fans that had visited the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in the final few minutes.

However, Antonio Conte's men held the lead and saw off any potential danger from Torino to grab all three points from this Serie A fixture. The final whistle came as a sound of relief for the home fans.

Here are the Napoli vs Torino Player Ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Napoli had the most possession (64%) and overperformed their xG of 1.24 with 4 big chances created in this game.
• Alessandro Buongiorno won the most aerial duels in this match (3).
• All three of Matteo Politano, Leonardo Spinazzola, and Rasmus Hojlund bagged three key passes each in this fixture.

Napoli Player Ratings vs Torino

Have a look at the Napoli Player Ratings from the Napoli vs Torino Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Vanja Milinković-Savić - 6.5: He had a relatively quiet night for large parts of the game. Made a couple of decent saves when called upon, especially from Nikola Vlasic's long-range efforts. However, we felt he could have commanded his box better on the corner that led to Torino's goal. He was rooted to his spot a bit. Overall, a standard performance, nothing spectacular but nothing disastrous either.

Defenders

Alessandro Buongiorno - 7.0: A really solid outing from the central defender. What stood out to us was his composure on the ball, completing 94% of his passes. He was a rock at the back, winning all of his duels and making 5 crucial clearances. He did miss a big chance from a header, but his primary job was done exceptionally well. A commanding presence.

Juan Jesus - 6.5: A quiet but effective game alongside Buongiorno. He kept things simple and tidy, with a 96% pass accuracy. He wasn't tested as much, but he did what he had to do without any fuss. We noticed he was a bit clumsy in the challenge a couple of times, giving away fouls in non-threatening areas, but it didn't lead to anything dangerous.

Mathías Olivera - 7.0: A very busy performance from the full-back. He was a constant outlet on the left flank, getting forward to support the attack and was defensively sound. Winning 7 out of 10 duels is impressive. He will be kicking himself for missing that big chance early in the game, but his overall contribution was very positive.

Midfielders

Billy Gilmour - 7.0: The metronome in Napoli's midfield. He was constantly on the ball, dictating the tempo with his impressive passing range. With 105 touches, he was at the heart of everything. We would have liked to see a bit more defensive contribution, as he only won one duel, but his role was clearly to control possession, which he did masterfully.

Eljif Elmas - 7.5: Scored the crucial second goal with a well-taken finish. He was a tireless runner, linking the midfield and attack effectively. His passing was neat and tidy, and he always looked to get into dangerous positions. It wasn't a flashy performance, but it was an incredibly effective one. A genuine goal threat from midfield.

Matteo Politano - 8.0: Our man of the match, without a doubt. He was a constant menace on the right wing, creating three big chances and grabbing an assist with a clever header. His dribbling caused problems for the Torino defence all night. He was dynamic, creative, and full of energy. A truly brilliant performance from the captain.

Leonardo Spinazzola - 7.0: Provided the assist for the opening goal and was a creative force down the left. He put in some dangerous crosses and was always looking to make things happen. He was substituted after 69 minutes, but his impact was significant. A shame he couldn't complete the full game as he was looking sharp.

Forwards

Rasmus Højlund - 6.5: A frustrating night for the young striker. He got into good positions and his movement was excellent, but his finishing let him down. Missing a big chance and having two shots off target will disappoint him. He did create three chances for his teammates, showing his all-around game is developing, but a striker of his quality will feel he should have scored.

Alisson Santos - 7.5: Got the ball rolling with a fantastic strike from outside the box. He was a livewire, constantly taking on his man and getting shots off. From our perspective, his directness was a key factor in Napoli's attacking play. He faded slightly in the second half before being subbed, but his early goal was vital.

Antonio Vergara - 5.5: It just wasn't his night. He struggled to get into the game and was largely anonymous before being substituted at halftime. He lost possession frequently and didn't offer much of an attacking threat. A performance to forget for the young attacker.

Substitutes

Frank Anguissa - 6.5: Came on at halftime and provided more steel and presence in the midfield, which was needed. A solid, if unspectacular, contribution.

Miguel Gutiérrez - 6.0: Replaced Spinazzola but couldn't quite match his attacking impetus. Was steady enough defensively.

Kevin De Bruyne - N/A: Came on late and didn't have enough time to influence the proceedings.

Pasquale Mazzocchi - N/A: A late sub to shore things up.

Romelu Lukaku - N/A: Brought on for the final few minutes but barely touched the ball.

Manager

A. Conte - 7.5: His team started on the front foot and executed the game plan perfectly for the first 70 minutes. The selection of an attacking lineup paid off with two well-worked goals. His substitutions were logical, aimed at seeing out the game. He will be slightly annoyed at the late conceded goal which created unnecessary tension, but ultimately, it's a job well done.

Torino Player Ratings vs Napoli

Have a look at the Torino Player Ratings from the Napoli vs Torino Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Alberto Paleari - 8.0: The standout performer for Torino, and it's not even close. He made a staggering seven saves, including three from inside the box, to keep his team in the game. Without him, Napoli could have easily scored four or five. An absolutely heroic performance in a losing effort. Deserved better than to concede two goals.

Defenders

Saúl Coco - 5.0: A really difficult night for the defender. He seemed to struggle with the movement and pace of Napoli's attackers. He lost possession ten times and was caught out of position on a few occasions. A performance he'll want to move on from quickly.

Ardian Ismajli - 6.0: The better of the central defenders. He made six clearances and was strong in the air. However, he picked up a yellow card and was part of a defence that was under siege for long periods. He battled hard but was ultimately on the losing side of a tough duel.

Enzo Ebosse - 5.5: A mixed bag. He showed some good moments with his passing from the back but also looked vulnerable defensively. Napoli's attackers seemed to target his side, and he struggled to cope at times. Not his best day at the office.

Midfielders

Matteo Prati - 6.0: Worked hard in the midfield but struggled to make a real impact on the game. He was tenacious in the tackle but was often overrun by Napoli's fluid midfield. His passing was decent, but he couldn't unlock the Napoli defence.

Valentino Lazaro - 6.0: Another player who ran his socks off but with little end product. He got into some promising positions on the wing but his final ball was lacking, with only one of his five crosses finding a teammate. Picked up a deserved yellow card for a cynical foul.

Rafa Obrador - 5.5: Substituted before the hour mark after a very quiet performance. He was barely involved, managing only 26 touches. He offered little going forward and was bypassed too easily in midfield. A disappointing outing.

Gvidas Gineitis - 6.0: An energetic display, but it was marred by a yellow card and a general lack of quality on the ball. He was tidy in possession but played it too safe, rarely attempting a forward pass that could hurt the opposition. Substituted in the second half as Torino chased the game.

Forwards

Nikola Vlašić - 7.0: Torino's brightest spark in attack. He was a constant threat, testing the Napoli goalkeeper with three shots, two of which were on target. He was strong, direct, and worked incredibly hard for his team, winning 8 duels. If his teammates were on his wavelength, the result might have been different.

Giovanni Simeone - 5.5: It was a thankless task for him up front. He was isolated and starved of service for most of the match. He worked hard off the ball but couldn't get involved in the game in any meaningful way before being substituted.

Duván Zapata - 5.5: The captain had a very quiet game by his standards. He struggled to impose himself physically against Napoli's defence. An error leading to a shot summed up his frustrating evening. He was taken off early in the second half, a decision that surprised no one watching the game.

Substitutes

Ché Adams - 6.5: Provided an assist for the goal and was more of a nuisance than the starters he replaced. A decent cameo.

Sandro Kulenovic - 6.0: Ran hard but had little service to work with.

Cesare Casadei - 7.0: Came on and scored a well-taken header to give his team a glimmer of hope. An excellent impact from the bench.

Tino Anjorin - 6.5: Looked lively and forced a good save from the keeper. Should have perhaps been introduced earlier.

Manager

R. D'Aversa - 6.0: His team was second best for most of the match. The initial setup seemed too defensive and invited pressure. While they showed spirit to fight back, it was too little, too late. His substitutes did make a positive impact, particularly Casadei, but the damage was already done. He'll be disappointed with the passive nature of the first-half performance.

Man of the Match

Matteo Politano was our man of the match from this Serie A game.

Worst Performer

Saúl Coco of Torino was the worst performer from the Napoli vs Torino fixture.