The China Mail - Hojlund brace shoots Napoli past Spalletti's Juve and top of Serie A

Denmark striker Hojlund headed home the crucial goal with 12 minutes remaining at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

The 22-year-old also put Napoli ahead early on in Naples, his first club goal since netting the winner against Genoa in early October.

Napoli are one point ahead of Inter Milan after condemning Juve to a first league defeat since Spalletti took charge of the Turin giants in late October, but will be surpassed on goal difference by AC Milan on Monday if the seven-time European champions beat Torino.

"All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you to the players," said coach Antonio Conte, who looked close to a shock exit after a dismal defeat at Bologna before the last international break.

But Napoli have won five on the bounce in all competitions since then -- in the midst of an injury crisis -- and next travel to Portugal to take on Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Wednesday.

"They've grown so much. It makes me very proud because they understand what we're trying to do and the period we're going through, and they respond in an incredible fashion," added Conte.

Juve are now eight points off the title pace after 14 matches as Spalletti, who led Napoli to a first Scudetto in over three decades in 2023, struggles to get a tune out of his new players.

Juve had looked good for a result when Kenan Yildiz coolly rolled home his sixth goal of the season after brilliantly exchanging passes with Weston McKennie.

Juve had been the better team of the second half up to that point but failed to capitalise on that moment, with Yildiz's substitution in the 76th minute being quickly followed by Hojlund's winner.

- 'Take stock' -

McKennie handed Hojlund his big chance by limply heading a speculative cross right to the powerful centre-forward who made no mistake from close range.

It was a bad end to a match which started with loud boos for Spalletti from Napoli fans who were angered by him joining Juve after previously saying he would never manage another club following his historic title win.

"We were better after our goal but it was schoolboy stuff, we didn't push the situation as a team," said Spalletti.

"We need to step it up and quickly otherwise things become difficult... We need to take stock."

Roma, defeated by Napoli last weekend, lost further ground in the title race with a painful 1-0 loss at Cagliari which left them four points behind Napoli.

Down to 10 men for most of the second half after Zeki Celik brought down Michael Folorunsho as the Cagliari midfielder bore down on goal, Roma left Sardinia with nothing due to Gianluca Gaetano's neat finish at a corner in the 82nd minute.

"We made a few clear mistakes, both for the red card and their goal, and it's difficult to get a result when things like that happen," said Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini.

Bologna are two points behind Roma in fifth after a 1-1 draw at Rome's other team Lazio, Jens Odgaard poking home the leveller five minute's before the break.

Lazio's draw means promoted Cremonese, 2-0 winners over Lecce in the day's early fixture, will be in the top half of the table come the end of this round of fixtures.

Davide Nicola's team prevailed thanks to Federico Bonazzoli's penalty and a first Cremonese goal for Antonio Sanabria, both of which came in the second half.

S.Davis--ThChM