Venezia 1-0 Napoli: De Bruyne misses penalty as bottom side sink Allegri's team

Venezia finally put an end to their winless start in Serie A with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Napoli in Davide Nicola's first match as head coach. Akor Adams broke the deadlock early in the second half, Kevin De Bruyne wasted a penalty, and goalkeeper Filip Stankovic delivered a heroic performance to secure the points. Napoli, meanwhile, are stuck in their worst opening stretch since 2009.

• Bottom side Venezia, without a point after six rounds, win 1-0 in Davide Nicola's debut.
• Akor Adams scores in the 49th minute after his shot takes a deflection off Amir Rrahmani.
• Kevin De Bruyne sees his 66th-minute penalty saved by Filip Stankovic.
• Napoli fall to three wins, five defeats and one draw across Serie A and the Champions League.
• Massimiliano Allegri turns to his bench, but a late onslaught cannot rescue a point.

A winning start for Davide Nicola at struggling Venezia

Venezia arrived at the match in a desperate position: no points from their first six games and a fresh change on the bench after Giovanni Stroppa's dismissal. Davide Nicola was brought in to restore belief and identity to a team in crisis, and his debut could hardly have gone better. A clean sheet, a winning goal and three valuable points brought much-needed relief to the home crowd.

The first half lacked rhythm and clear chances. Napoli controlled more of the ball but did little to turn that control into genuine threat, while Venezia looked to former Sevilla forward Akor Adams and Ecuadorian winger John Yeboah for occasional bursts of danger. Neither goalkeeper was tested seriously before the interval.

Akor Adams punishes Napoli and deepens Allegri's problems

The game came alive shortly after the restart. In the 49th minute, Adams found room inside the box, got his shot away and beat Alex Meret with the help of a deflection off Amir Rrahmani that carried the ball into the net. The goal sparked wild celebrations in the home stands and left Napoli in a difficult spot as they pushed for a badly needed win.

Massimiliano Allegri responded with a triple substitution, sending on Rasmus Hojlund, Alisson Santos and Kevin De Bruyne in place of Lorenzo Lucca, Giovane and Billy Gilmour. The arrival of the big names gave Napoli fresh energy, and the final half hour turned into a sustained assault on the Venezia goal.

De Bruyne squanders penalty as Stankovic becomes Venezia's hero

Napoli's clearest opening came in the 66th minute when the referee pointed to the spot after Matias Moreno brought down Hojlund. De Bruyne stepped up and aimed a low shot toward the left corner, but Stankovic read it perfectly and got down to push the ball away. For the Belgian playmaker, who has struggled to find form this season, the miss was another frustrating moment in an uneasy start under Allegri.

The save gave Venezia renewed belief. The hosts defended with discipline, managed their substitutions well and leaned on Stankovic during the closing stages as he repeatedly denied Napoli. The goalkeeper's calm authority between the posts proved decisive in a victory that felt like a turning point for the club.

Napoli's worst start in 17 years leaves Allegri under pressure

The defeat leaves Napoli with a worrying record: three wins, five losses and one draw across Serie A and the Champions League. It is the club's weakest start in nearly two decades, and the criticism is increasingly directed at Massimiliano Allegri. The team's lack of attacking clarity and defensive fragility have become recurring problems, and patience among supporters is wearing thin.

Venezia arrived with no points and found their spark in Stankovic and Nicola's game plan; Napoli left with their worst start since 2009.

What lies ahead for Venezia and Napoli in Serie A

For Venezia, this win offers a platform to build on. Their first three points of the campaign arrive with an emotional lift, and the performance of Stankovic gives the squad a new reference point. Nicola's immediate task will be to repeat this level of defensive discipline and gradually pull away from the relegation zone.

Napoli, by contrast, need a swift turnaround. The gap to the leading positions is already growing, and every dropped point adds pressure to an early-season slump. Allegri must find solutions in both boxes quickly if Napoli are to avoid losing touch with their objectives before the campaign gains momentum.