The win sees Napoli put pressure on second placed AS Roma and gives them a ten point cushion in the final Champions League place. Torino sink to a fourth consecutive defeat and more worryingly for the Granata, they have now failed to find the net in each of those four losses.
Torino vs Napoli, final score 0-1: Napoli leave it late to secure victory
Gonzalo Higuain struck in the final minute to give Napoli a 1-0 win over Torino at the Stadio Olimpico.
Mario Carlini / Iguana Press
Giampiero Ventura made the bold decision to drop strike pair Ciro Immobile and Alessio Cerci, who have contributed 24 league goals between them so far this season. Paulo Vitor Barreto and Riccardo Meggiorini deputised in a new look attack. Midfielder Giuseppe Vives was suspended, but Cesare Bovo, Kamil Glik and Nikola Maksimovic all returned from bans.
Napoli saw off AS Roma last weekend, but sunk to a 1-0 defeat against FC Porto in a midweek Europa League tie. With the return leg looming in Naples on Thursday, Rafa Benitez still named a strong side. Anthony Reveillere replaced Christian Maggio who was out with a collapsed lung, while Jorginho shook off the flu to start in midfield.
Napoli won this fixture 5-3 last season, but defences were on top for much of the first half. The visitors created the game's first chance on 16 minutes. Jose Callejon threaded through for Higuain, but Daniele Padelli was quick off his line to smother at the Argentine's feet. Moments later, Pepe Reina saved from Meggiorini, after the Torino man nodded the ball down and lashed a half volley from outside the box.
Jorginho unlocked the Torino defence to find Callejon in space, but the Spaniard’s ball across the box was unable to find Higuain. Toro had the half’s best chance just before the half hour mark. Bovo left Reina clutching at air after unleashing a screamer from distance, which rattled the top of the post.
Napoli pressed forward after the break. A ball into the Torino box caused problems and the defenders failed to clear. The ball came back out to Callejon and Padelli came out to meet it ahead of Higuain. Padelli then had his palms stung by the Napoli forward from 20 yards.
The home side missed a golden opportunity to take the lead on 53 minutes. Barreto played a perfect pass for Meggiorini in the box, but the striker hit the post from less than six yards. Matteo Darmian also went close for the Granata. The full-back unleashed a rocket of a shot from out wide, forcing Reina to fly and tip the ball over. With his side seemingly on top, Ventura introduced Immobile.
Glik conceded a clumsy foul on the edge of the area, but Higuain failed to punish the hosts by blasting the resulting set piece well wide of the far post. Cerci came on for the final 20 minutes and Reina denied Immobile at the near post after blocking the frontman’s effort with his legs.
Immobile missed a sitter on 73 minutes. Jasmin Kurtic dispossessed Valon Behrami and rolled the ball across the six yard box for the substitute to swing wildly and send his shot into the stands.
Dries Mertens went close five minutes from the end. The Belgian ran at goal and forced an outstretched Padelli to turn his effort around the post.
Higuain landed the killer blow in the dying moments. The forward held off Glik as he ran onto a through ball. Glik went down after minimal contact and Torino were incensed when the referee waved play on. Higuain carried on his run into the box and buried his shot underneath Padelli.
Torino: Padelli; Bovo, Glik, Moretti; Maksimovic, Kurtic, (Basha 78) Tachtsidis, El Kaddouri, Darmian; Barreto, (Immobile 56) Meggiorni (Cerci 70)
Napoli: Reina; Reveillere, (Henrique 74) Fernandez, Albiol, Ghoulam; Inler, (Behrami 64) Jorginho; Mertens, Hamsik, Callejon; (Insigne 80) Higuain
Goals: Higuain 90
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