Kolo Muani scores on debut for Juventus but Lukaku inspires Napoli to comeback win

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This article was published 25/01/2025 (620 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ROME (AP) — When Randal Kolo Muani scored on debut for Juventus, Antonio Conte’s Napoli just dug in and played harder.

A 2-1 comeback win for the Serie A leader on Saturday reinforced Napoli’s title credentials and gave Conte a victory against the team he played for and the club where he earned his first major titles as a manager.

Napoli moved six points ahead of defending champion Inter Milan, which visits relegation-threatened Lecce on Sunday — and will still have a game in hand after this weekend.

Earlier, third-placed Atalanta also came back from a goal down to win at promoted Como 2-1 and move within one point of Inter.

Juventus, meanwhile, remained fifth and still outside of the Champions League places.

Kolo Muani makes memorable debut

Six touches. That’s all it took for Kolo Muani to score his first goal in Serie A.

Loaned from Paris Saint-Germain two days earlier, Kolo Muani took advantage of an inadvertent deflection by Napoli midfielder André-Frank Anguissa shortly before halftime, using one touch to volley in from the center of the area as he turned and unleashed his shot in one swift action.

Juventus coach Thiago Motta didn’t waste any time in using Kolo Muani, putting the France forward in the starting lineup ahead of slumping center forward Dusan Vlahovic.

Lukaku inspires Napoli comeback

Anguissa equalized after the break with a header on a play that was begun by Lukaku and led to a cross from Matteo Politano that Anguissa nodded in.

Lukaku then set up Scott McTominay inside the area before the Scotland midfielder was fouled by Manuel Locatelli to set up a penalty for Lukaku.

As usual, Lukaku paused in his run up, watched as Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio fell to his left and then deposited his spot kick into the other side of the net.

It was Lukaku’s 200th goal in Europe’s top five leagues.

Retegui brace earns Atalanta comeback win

Mateo Retegui scored a second-half brace to boost his league-leading total to 16 goals as Atalanta won at Como.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side remained six points behind Napoli, which beat Atalanta in Bergamo last weekend.

Napoli was hosting Juventus later and defending champion Inter visits relegation-threatened Lecce on Sunday.

After winning 11 straight, Atalanta had gone winless in four matches entering the game in Como.

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Nico Paz put Como ahead on the half-hour mark. Retegui equalized by redirecting in a cross from substitute Marco Brescianini with one touch in the 56th and then put Atalanta ahead 14 minutes later by redirecting another cross from Brescianini, this time with two touches.

Como, which is 13th, won 3-2 at Atalanta in September.

Atalanta’s emblematic midfielder Marten de Roon exited during the break after a knock to the head.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer