Napoli lost vital ground in the Champions League race as Jonathan Rowe’s 91st-minute strike gave Bologna a 3-2 win at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Antonio Conte’s side stayed three points ahead of fifth place with two Serie A fixtures remaining, missing the chance to open a six-point gap and ease late-season pressure.
The defeat also damaged Napoli’s strong home record. The team have now suffered two losses in their last three Serie A matches at the Maradona, matching the number of defeats from their previous 35 home league games. The result left home supporters frustrated after another tense night in Naples.
Bologna completed a league double over Napoli for the first time since the 2001-02 season, underlining how the visitors have troubled Conte’s team this campaign. Vincenzo Italiano’s side also extended a recent trend of scoring late against Napoli, with Rowe again deciding a tight contest deep into added time.
Rowe’s winning goal was timed at 90 minutes and 30 seconds, making it the latest Bologna have scored against Napoli in Serie A since Rolando Bianchi’s strike at 89:52 on 19 January 2014. Both teams had chased a late winner, but Bologna made the decisive moment count inside a quiet, anxious stadium.
The match opened in dramatic style when Federico Bernardeschi stunned the Maradona in the ninth minute. Bernardeschi linked neatly with Juan Miranda, took one touch, then drilled a powerful shot into the top-right corner. Three minutes later, Miranda almost added another, but the effort crashed against the crossbar with Napoli under heavy pressure.
Napoli fell further behind in the 34th minute. A VAR review spotted Giovanni Di Lorenzo kicking through Miranda inside the area, and Riccardo Orsolini converted the resulting penalty. Napoli responded in first-half stoppage time when a pass from Rasmus Hojlund deflected off Remo Freuler, allowing Di Lorenzo to fire in at the near post.
Conte’s players levelled just after half-time. Di Lorenzo launched a long ball forward, which Hojlund collected before laying it off for Santos. The forward struck first time beyond Pessina, bringing the score to 2-2 and lifting the home crowd as Napoli appeared to regain control of the contest.
The game stayed open in the closing stages with both sides threatening. The decisive moment came when Vanja Milinkovic-Savic parried a shot from Miranda into space. Rowe reacted quickest and sent an acrobatic volley past the goalkeeper, sealing Bologna’s 3-2 victory and leaving Napoli’s Champions League hopes under renewed scrutiny.
On social media, the final whistle brought a blunt update from the hosts.
Napoli vs Bologna Serie A statistics and data debrief
Match data underlined Bologna’s control in key moments. Italiano’s team recorded an expected goals figure of 1.32 from 10 shots, while Napoli generated 0.75 xG from 15 attempts. The hosts hit the target five times, yet Bologna were more efficient with possession and created higher-quality chances across the 90 minutes.
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The setback leaves Napoli looking over their shoulders heading into the final two league fixtures, with their Champions League place no longer secure. Bologna, meanwhile, departed Naples with six points from two league meetings against Conte’s side this season, plus a late winner that may define their campaign’s narrative.
Story first published: Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 3:44 [IST]
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