Napoli maintained the pressure on Serie A leaders Inter Milan with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over AC Milan at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on March 30, 2025. This win brings Napoli within three points of Inter, who had earlier secured a win against Udinese, further intensifying the title race in Italy.

The match began explosively for Napoli, who took the lead just a minute into the game when Matteo Politano converted a pass from Giovanni Di Lorenzo after outmaneuvering Milan defender Strahinja Pavlovic. Napoli doubled their advantage in the 19th minute through Romelu Lukaku, who cleverly flicked the ball over goalkeeper Mike Maignan following a precise pass from Billy Gilmour.

Despite a strong first half, Napoli faced a rejuvenated Milan after the break. Substitute Santiago Gimenez came close to narrowing the gap shortly after entering the pitch. The turning point arrived in the 69th minute when Milan was awarded a penalty after Theo Hernandez was fouled by Philip Billing, who had only been on the field for a few minutes. However, Gimenez's penalty was saved brilliantly by Napoli’s goalkeeper Alex Meret, who has shown remarkable form this season, conceding only one goal from four spot-kicks faced.

Milan managed to pull one back in the dying minutes when Luka Jovic found the net from a cross by Hernandez, but despite their late surge, they were unable to equalize. This defeat marks a continued struggle for Milan, who have now missed four penalties this season, the highest in Serie A.

Lukaku's goal also marked his 400th career strike, highlighting his significant impact in this match. His performance against Milan has been particularly noteworthy, as he has consistently scored against them throughout his career. Napoli’s victory not only boosts their title hopes but also serves as a reminder of their resilience in the league as they strive to reclaim the Scudetto.