Super Eagles forward, Akor Adams scored the decisive goal as Venezia secured a 1-0 victory over Napoli in their Serie A encounter at the Stadio Pierluigi Penzo on Saturday.
Adams struck four minutes into the second half to hand the hosts all three points, while goalkeeper Filip Stanković produced a remarkable performance, including saving a penalty from Kevin De Bruyne, to frustrate the visitors.
The Nigerian forward capitalised on a counterattack in the 49th minute after Simon Sohm released him with a pass.
Adams fired a low right-footed effort into the bottom-left corner to put Venezia ahead.
Napoli responded by intensifying their attacking pressure and were awarded a penalty in the 68th minute.
However, Stanković denied De Bruyne from the spot, diving to his left to preserve Venezia’s advantage.
Despite dominating possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities, Napoli could not find an equaliser as the home side held firm defensively until the final whistle.
Napoli finished the encounter with 71 per cent possession and 29 shots, compared with Venezia’s nine attempts.
The visitors also won 12 corners without scoring, while the hosts recorded 50 clearances to withstand the sustained pressure.
Stanković was the standout performer, making nine saves, including seven from inside the penalty area, to secure the victory. His penalty save proved particularly crucial as Venezia defended their narrow lead.
Adams also impressed in attack, registering six shots, three of which were on target, and earning an 8.2 rating for his contribution.
The result highlighted Venezia’s defensive discipline and clinical finishing, as they claimed maximum points despite Napoli’s superiority in possession and attacking statistics.
