NAPOLI starting XI (4-3-3): Meret, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera, Gilmour, Lobotka (subbed for Juan Jesus), Anguissa (subbed for Billing), Politano (subbed for Ngonge), Lukaku (subbed for Simeone), Neres (subbed for Mazzocchi)

Bench: Scuffet, Turi, Esposito, Marin, Hasa, Okafor, Raspadori

Goals: Politano 2’, Lukaku 19’

AC MILAN starting XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan, Walker (subbed for Jimenez), Gabbia, Pavlovic, Hernandez, Bondo (subbed for Leao), Fofana, Pulisic (subbed for Jovic), Reijnders, Joao Felix (subbed for Chukwueze), Abraham (subbed for Gimenez)

Bench: Sportiello, Torriani, Florenzi, Terracciano, Thiaw, Tomori, Sottil

Goals: Jovic 84’

Victor Osimhen left in September and 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.

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.

Luka Jovic pulled one back for Milan in the 84th to set up a tense finale during which the visitors came close to equalising.

The result kept Napoli within three points of leaders Inter Milan, who edged Udinese 2-1 earlier on Sunday.

AAP

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