Serie A | Napoli 2-3 Bologna: Rowe stunning strike puts Conte top 4 in doubt

2

Skip to contentNAPLES, ITALY – MAY 11: Riccardo Orsolini of Bologna FC 1909 celebrates after scoring his side second goal during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and Bologna FC 1909 at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on May 11, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Napoli fought back from 2-0 down, but Bologna snatched a stunning 3-2 victory at the Stadio Maradona with Jonathan Rowe’s acrobatic volley, putting Champions League football back in doubt.

• Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News and Content – Free Trial – Click Here

The Partenopei knew a victory would guarantee a top four finish, but Kevin De Bruyne was ruled out after a nasty clash of heads in training left him needing four stitches to his cheekbone. Romelu Lukaku and David Neres also missed out, though Giovanni Di Lorenzo returned for his first appearance since knee ligament damage on January 31. Bologna had Joao Mario back, but missed Martin Vitik, Nicolò Cambiaghi and Nicolò Casale, with Jonathan Rowe only fit for the bench. They had beaten Napoli 2-0 in Serie A earlier this season, but lost by the same result in the Supercoppa Italiana Final on December 22.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Bologna had a strong start and took the lead when Federico Bernardeschi combined with Juan Miranda to smash a ferocious left-foot strike into the far top corner.

It was nearly 2-0 moments later, as when Riccardo Orsolini was blocked off, it came to Miranda to fire onto the top of the upright.

Napoli tried to respond, twice testing Massimo Pessina with Giovane and Alisson Santos, then Scott McTominay’s glancing header flashed inches wide from an Alisson Santos corner.

Bologna had penalty appeals when Miranda got to the ball before Di Lorenzo and was caught on the boot, so it was given following the VAR review. Orsolini had never scored a goal against Napoli before in his career, but managed to squirm the spot-kick in despite Vanja Milinkovic-Savic getting a glove to it.

Joao Mario was booked for crashing into McTominay on the edge of the area, the referee opting for a yellow card and not sufficient for a straight red.

Di Lorenzo made up for his earlier error and marked his return after three months with a goal. Rasmus Hojlund held up Matteo Politano’s pass, it ricocheted off Remo Freuler into the captain’s path, who fired in off the underside of the bar from a tricky angle.

After the restart, Di Lorenzo’s glancing header on a Politano corner skimmed the crossbar, but Napoli completed the comeback moments later.

Hojlund laid it off down the left for Alisson Santos to sweep the angled drive into the far bottom corner with the inside of the right boot.

Politano forced a one-handed save from Pessina, as did Miguel Gutierrez with a cross-shot at the near post, while Amir Rrahmani blasted wide.

Just as it seemed to be heading for a 2-2 draw, Bologna restored their lead with a moment of pure magic. Milinkovic-Savic got his gloves to the powerful Miranda cross-shot, but it looped up nicely for the acrobatic Rowe scissor-kick volley from 12 yards.

Napoli 2-3 Bologna

Bernardeschi 10 (B), Orsolini pen 35 (B), Di Lorenzo 45 (N), Alisson Santos 48 (N), Rowe 91 (B)

11-05-2026 19:45

MatchDay 36

Stadio Diego Armando MaradonaNAPBGN

Live2 – 3

Player statistic

Match statistic

52

Possession %

48

14

Total shots

10

5

Shots on target

4

5

Shots off target

5

4

Blocked shots

1

7

Corners

1

4

Offsides

10

Fouls

12

NAP

BGN

Starting lineups

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić
Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno
Defender

13

Amir Rrahmani
Defender

22

Giovanni Di Lorenzo
Defender

3

Miguel Gutiérrez
Defender

87′

8

Scott McTominay
Midfielder

68

Stanislav Lobotka
Midfielder

76′

27

Alisson Santos
Attacker

23

Giovane Nascimento
Attacker

76′

21

Matteo Politano
Attacker

84′

19

Rasmus Højlund
Attacker

25

Massimo Pessina
Goalkeeper

5

Eivind Helland
Defender

81′

26

Jhon Lucumí
Defender

17

João Mário
Defender

64′

33

Juan Miranda
Defender

19

Lewis Ferguson
Midfielder

82′

8

Remo Freuler
Midfielder

4

Tommaso Pobega
Midfielder

81′

10

Federico Bernardeschi
Attacker

73′

7

Riccardo Orsolini
Attacker

9

Santiago Castro
Attacker

Substitutes

5

Juan Jesus
Defender

1

Alex Meret
Goalkeeper

99

Frank Anguissa
Midfielder

14

Nikita Contini
Goalkeeper

26

Antonio Vergara
Midfielder

17

Mathías Olivera
Defender

31

Sam Beukema
Defender

20

Eljif Elmas
Midfielder

76′

6

Billy Gilmour
Midfielder

76′

37

Leonardo Spinazzola
Defender

84′

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi
Defender

87′

22

Charalampos Lykogiannis
Defender

29

Lorenzo De Silvestri
Defender

1

Lukasz Skorupski
Goalkeeper

13

Federico Ravaglia
Goalkeeper

21

Jens Odgaard
Attacker

24

Thijs Dallinga
Attacker

30

Benja Domínguez
Attacker

20

Nadir Zortea
Defender

64′

11

Jonathan Rowe
Midfielder

73′

6

Nikola Moro
Midfielder

81′

14

Torbjørn Heggem
Defender

81′

23

Simon Sohm
Midfielder

82′

BySusy Campanale

Original Article