Napoli Beat Qarabag 2-0; the Visitors Were Caught Flat-Footed

Karun Abraham

Sports Journalist

“Penalty saved, patience kept, and McTominay’s double involvement decides a rain-slick night in Naples.”

Dominant win for Napoli

Napoli beat Qarabag 2-0 at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on November 25 2025, banking a significant Champions League win on the fifth anniversary of Diego Maradona’s passing. After Hojlund saw his penalty saved early in the second half, Scott McTominay broke the deadlock with a close-range header, before his acrobatic attempt led to an own goal just minutes later. Want to attend such exciting matches in person? Book your UEFA Champions League tickets via 1BoxOffice for genuine tickets with multiple perks.

First Half - Soggy, Tense, and Warning Shots

Qarabag were sharp from the whistle on a wet pitch, pressing high and carving the first danger when Addai flashed wide after a loose Napoli pass. The Blues had their best looks come via wide entries and second phases: Neres had a spectacular overhead clawed away by Kochalski, and Di Lorenzo slipped at the decisive touch after racing clear.

The mood matched the moment, a club-wide tribute to Maradona formed the evening, with the stadium breaking into chants in the 10th minute before the game settled into its cagey pattern. Goalless at the break, the sense was that one clean action might unlock it.

Second Half - Penalty Twist, then McTominay

The pivotal moment began just after half-time, Di Lorenzo drew a foul from Jankovic, but Hojlund’s 56th-minute spot-kick was beaten out by Kochalski, who had already hinted at a big night. Napoli didn’t wobble, and in the 65th minute, a left-side corner produced chaos, and the parried ball from Kochalski was slotted into the net with a rebound shot by McTominay, making the score 1-0.

With Qarabag forced to open up, Napoli’s pressure told again; on the 72nd minute, McTominay hooked an overhead forward goal, and the ball deflected in off the unlucky Jankovic for 2-0. Even then, Kochalski made a superb double save from Lang and McTominay to keep the scoreline respectable. At the same time, the final shot by Napoli was a miss-hit by Neres from a miscalculated cross. This is not the end for the visitors; support them by buying your Qarabag FK football tickets via 1BoxOffice.

Tactical Snapshot

Napoli

• Righ-edge route: Napoli repeatedly accessed the inside-right lane (Di Lorenzo overlaps, Neres/inside forward rotations). The opener came from restart pressure rather than pattern play, but those wide-to-inside accesses generated the sustained threat that tilted the game.
• Game-state management: After 1-0, distances compacted, rest-defence stayed narrow, and counters were chosen for field position rather than risk, a mature closeout on a slick pitch.

After their earlier 0-0 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt, this victory was just what they needed. Read about the Napoli vs Eintracht Frankfurt match report here.

Qarabag

• Aggressive press, then transition chance: Early pressing phases caused Napoli discomfort, but once behind, Qarabag had to stretch. Their clearest lanes came from fast, wide attacks and second balls rather than clean central combinations. Kochalski’s shot-stopping kept them alive deeper into the second half than the metrics might suggest.

After having tied 2-2 against Chelsea, this loss stings for Qarabag. Read all about the Qarabag FK vs Chelsea match report here.

Standout Performers

• Scott McTomiany (Napoli) - Player of the Match: Match-turning header for 1-0 and forced the own goal just minutes later.
• Mateusz Kochalski (Qarabag): Saved Hojlund’s penalty, and the reason the scoreline is not a shameful number.
• Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli): Drew the penalty, led the right-side surges, and set the press height.
• David Neres (Napoli): 1v1 outlet and the inventor of chaos; spectacular first-half save drawn and later clipped the bar.

Match Ratings

Aftermath & Implications

Beyond the three points, this felt timely for Napoli: chance creation survived a missed penalty, set-piece structure delivered the breakthrough, and late-game control looked repeatable. The team is now getting ready for their weekend Serie A away fixture. Support them by booking your AS Roma vs Napoli tickets via 1BoxOffice.

Qarabag leaves with regret; their keeper was outstanding, the press disrupted early, but two set-pieces and second-phase moments flipped the night. In a crowded league-phase table, both sides move to seven points after five games, with Napoli’s head of steam building ahead of the run-in.

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