ROME: Victor Osimhen left in September. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia departed in January.
Now it’s almost April and Antonio Conte’s Napoli — somehow — are still in contention for the Serie A title.
Matteo Politano and Romelu Lukaku scored first-half goals, Alex Meret saved a second-half penalty kick from Santiago Gimenez, and Napoli beat visiting AC Milan 2-1 on Sunday for a statement victory.
Luka Jovic pulled one back for Milan in the 84th to set up a tense finale during which Milan came close to equalizing.
The result kept Napoli within three points of Serie A leader Inter Milan, who edged Udinese 2-1 earlier.
It’s developing into a two-team title race after third-placed Atalanta lost their second straight game, falling 1-0 at Fiorentina to drop nine points back.
While Lukaku has filled the void left by Osimhen after the Nigeria striker left to sign a loan deal with Galatasaray, it has taken a group effort to replace Kvaratskhelia’s output after the winger signed with Paris Saint-Germain.
One player picking up playing time in Kvaratskhelia’s absence has been Politano. He seized upon a ball over the top from Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo and evaded three defenders to blast in a long-range shot 63 seconds in at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Then Billy Gilmour set up Lukaku all alone in front of the goal to double the advantage after less than 20 minutes – helped by poor positioning from Milan defender Kyle Walker.
It was Lukaku’s 400th goal for club and country.
Milan remained ninth.
Sommer’s saves help Inter preserve a victory
Goalkeeper Yann Sommer made two clutch saves in Inter’s win.
Marko Arnautovic took advantage of a rare start at center forward, opening the scoring early in the first half by redirecting in a cross from Federico Dimarco with one touch.
Davide Frattesi quickly doubled the lead with a nearly identical goal.
Center back Oumar Solet pulled one back for Udinese midway through the second half with a long, curling shot for his first Serie A goal.
Sommer then palmed away a dangerous effort from Lorenzo Lucca to preserve the lead.
Sommer also made a save on a close-range effort from Solet in stoppage time, after which vehement protests from Simone Inzaghi resulted in the Inter coach being sent off.
Arnautovic replaced Lautaro Martinez, who picked up a knock with Argentina.
Inter, which faces Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals, also sorely missed injured center back Alessandro Bastoni.
Atalanta’s fading title hopes take another hit
Atalanta were also beatwn 2-0 by Inter before the international break.
Fiorentina striker Moise Kean scored his 16th goal of the season at the end of the first half with a solo action.
“In terms of the title race, I would say we’re done,” Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini said. “It was an impossible dream that I think had already faded away during the match with Inter.”
Also, Cagliari beat last-placed Monza 3-0.
