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VERONA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 28: Romelu Lukaku of SSC Napoli and Unai Núñez of Hellas Verona during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on February 28, 2026 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Romelu Lukaku scored with the last kick of the game to give Napoli a dramatic 2-1 victory away to rock bottom Hellas Verona, after Rasmus Hojlund netted at both ends.
The Partenopei were sliding down the standings after a 2-2 draw with Roma and controversial defeat to Atalanta. Scott McTominay, Frank Anguissa, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, David Neres and Kevin De Bruyne were still out of action, so Alisson Santos completed the attack, with Giovane on the bench against his former club. Hellas were rock bottom alongside Pisa, so while Gift Orban and Moatasem Al-Musrati were suspended, Rafik Belghali, Pol Lirola, Antoine Bernede, Sandi Lovric and Suat Serdar missed out.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
It was a perfect start for Antonio Conte’s men, who took the lead within 100 seconds. Matteo Politano’s cross from the right was flicked on by Andrias Edmundsson, but turned into an accidental assist for the Hojlund looping header, which he steered into the far top corner from 12 yards, off the inside of the post.
Leonardo Spinazzola curled just over the bar, while Lorenzo Montipò palmed an Eljif Elmas scorcher out of the bottom corner.
Edmundsson got back for almost a goal-line clearance after Hojlund had dinked a finish past the on-rushing Montipò, and Antonio Vergara blasted just over from an Alisson Santos assist.
Verona equalised amid more controversy, as Napoli felt there was a foul before the corner, but that set play was then flicked on by Hojlund, who was also in the way to deflect the Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro half-volley past Alex Meret.
Hellas threatened to score another on the counter-attack moments later, but Daniel Mosquera’s first touch let him down when about to go clear.
Tomas Suslov was booked for a sliding tackle on Miguel Gutierrez, as although contact was high, he pulled out at the last second.
Eljif Elmas stung Montipò’s gloves after a well-worked move between substitutes Billy Gilmour and Romelu Lukaku.
Verona nearly won it in stoppages when Kieron Bowie couldn’t keep the volley on target after Meret flapped aimlessly at a cross.
Just as it seemed to be over, Napoli took a short corner and Giovane’s cross from the left went past an acrobatic Juan Jesus attempt, but Lukaku was ready to sweep in first-time from six yards. It was his first goal of the season and the last kick of the game after so many months out with a serious tendon injury.
Verona 1-2 Napoli
Hojlund 2 (N), Akpa Akpro 64 (V), Lukaku 96 (N)
28-02-2026 17:00
MatchDay 27
Stadio Marcantonio BentegodiVeronaNapoli1 – 2
Player statistic
| 2' | Rasmus Højlund(Assist: Antonio Vergara) |
| Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro | 45+2' |
| 56' | Antonio Vergara |
| Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro | 64' |
| 71' | Eljif Elmas |
| Tomas Suslov | 74' |
| Abdou Harroui | 81' |
| 90+7' | Romelu Lukaku |
| 90' | Juan Jesus |
| 90+6' | Romelu Lukaku(Assist: Giovane) |
Verona
Napoli
Starting lineups
1
Lorenzo Montipò
Goalkeeper
5
Andrias Edmundsson
Defender
37
Armel Bella-Kotchap
Defender
55′
2
Daniel Oyegoke
Defender
70′
12
Domagoj Bradaric
Defender
15
Victor Nelsson
Defender
21
Abdou Harroui
Midfielder
82′
11
Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro
Midfielder
82′
63
Roberto Gagliardini
Midfielder
9
Amin Sarr
Attacker
55′
18
Kieron Bowie
Attacker
1
Alex Meret
Goalkeeper
4
Alessandro Buongiorno
Defender
5
Juan Jesus
Defender
37
Leonardo Spinazzola
Defender
52′
31
Sam Beukema
Defender
26
Antonio Vergara
Midfielder
78′
20
Eljif Elmas
Midfielder
68
Stanislav Lobotka
Midfielder
73′
27
Alisson Santos
Attacker
73′
21
Matteo Politano
Attacker
78′
19
Rasmus Højlund
Attacker
Substitutes
34
Simone Perilli
Goalkeeper
94
Giacomo Toniolo
Goalkeeper
6
Nicolás Valentini
Defender
70
Fallou Cham
Defender
90
Ioan Vermesan
Attacker
41
Isaac
Attacker
3
Martin Frese
Defender
55′
25
Daniel Mosquera
Attacker
55′
10
Tomas Suslov
Attacker
70′
36
Cheikh Niasse
Attacker
82′
19
Tobias Slotsager
Defender
82′
14
Nikita Contini
Goalkeeper
32
Vanja Milinković-Savić
Goalkeeper
17
Mathías Olivera
Defender
95
Vincenzo Prisco
Midfielder
23
Giovane Nascimento
Attacker
3
Miguel Gutiérrez
Defender
52′
6
Billy Gilmour
Midfielder
73′
9
Romelu Lukaku
Attacker
73′
30
Pasquale Mazzocchi
Defender
78′
23
Giovane
Attacker
78′
