Napoli Routs Cremonese 4-0, McTominay and Hojlund Shine as Team Aims for Champions League Qualification
The reigning Serie A champions, Napoli, moved closer to securing a spot in next season’s Champions League after a decisive 4-0 victory over Cremonese. The team currently sits in second place in the league standings.
Scott McTominay opened the scoring early, netting a right-footed shot from outside the box just three minutes into the match. Rasmus Hojlund played a key role in the second goal, with his shot deflected into the net by Filippo Terracciano. While the goal was initially credited to Hojlund, it was later marked as an own goal.
Late in the second half, McTominay missed a penalty that could have put Napoli up 5-0, but at that point, the important three points were already secured.
Napoli holds a three-point lead over AC Milan in third place, although Milan has a game in hand that will be played tomorrow against Juventus.
Hojlund had previously excelled in the reverse fixture, scoring twice to lead his team to victory.
Italian media outlets have praised both McTominay and Hojlund for their performances in the latest match. According to Calcio Mercato, McTominay received a rating of 7.5/10, highlighting his beautiful goal just three minutes into the game and noting his effective coordination with De Bruyne.
“He often makes himself dangerous as he knows how to do,” the outlet further commented.
Hojlund earned a rating of 7/10, with the review noting that he was “unlucky on the goal that is awarded as an own goal to Terracciano, but he had an excellent performance.”
Football Italia echoed these ratings, giving McTominay a 7.5/10 and Hojlund a 7/10.
Tutto Sport rated McTominay an 8/10, stating that his performance was “more than the goal, the acrobatic intervention which he contributed to De Bruyne’s 3-0 is the photograph of a performance, a state of form, an attitude,” while deducting half a point for the missed penalty.
In terms of Hojlund, the outlet noted a score of 7.5/10, commenting that “when he starts from afar, he becomes overwhelming, emblematic at the end of the first half when he grazes the post and then, with Terracciano’s help, signs the double.”
Next up for Napoli is a match against Como on Saturday, as they continue their pursuit of Champions League qualification.
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