Juventus proved that possession means nothing without precision, dispatching Napoli 3-0 at home on Sunday despite controlling just 42 percent of the ball in a ruthlessly efficient Serie A performance.
Jonathan David opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, giving the Bianconeri an early advantage they would never relinquish. The Canadian striker’s goal set the tone for a masterclass in counter-attacking football from Juventus, who made their limited opportunities count against a Napoli side that dominated possession but struggled to convert territorial advantage into genuine threats.
Manuel Locatelli orchestrated proceedings from midfield, earning an 8.0 match rating with one assist, while Khéphren Thuram (7.9) provided the engine room stability that allowed Juventus to absorb Napoli’s 58 percent possession and strike on the break.
The match turned scrappy in the second half, with Kenan Yıldız picking up a yellow card in the 57th minute. But the young forward made his mark where it mattered most, doubling Juventus’s advantage in the 77th minute with a well-taken goal just moments after David departed. Yıldız contributed two key passes before his 88th-minute substitution, capping a 7.6-rated performance.
Filip Kostić added the coup de grâce in the 86th minute, punishing Napoli’s fatigue to make it 3-0 and earning a 7.9 rating for his troubles. Fabio Miretti registered the assist on the final goal.
The statistics tell a sobering story for Napoli: despite superior possession (58%), pass completion (90% to 80%), and interceptions (9-8), they managed just one shot on target from nine attempts. Alessandro Buongiorno (7.2) led their defensive efforts admirably, but Napoli’s attacking impotence proved fatal.
Juventus’s clinical edge—six shots on target from twelve attempts—demonstrated the difference between controlling games and winning them.
