Scott McTominay sparks Napoli comeback but Serie A setback not averted as Man Utd loanee denied

Napoli had been expected to collect a sixth successive victory when they hosted bottom of the table Hellas Verona on Wednesday night at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

However, the visitors ripped up the script by forging a two-goal lead in the first half through Martin Frese's 16th minute opener and a penalty from Gift Orban on the 27-minute mark.

Staring at a first home defeat since March 2024, Antonio Conte's side were in need of a spark and it came from their Scottish talisman McTominay, who headed home from a corner kick nine minutes after the break to reduce arrears.

Napoli thought they had levelled in the 72nd minute through Manchester United loanee Rasmus Hojlund, who swivelled in the box to fire home a first-time volley from McTominay's knock-down for what would have been his 10th goal since moving from Old Trafford in the summer. However, a VAR review ruled out the effort for a controversial handball.

McTominay was denied an assist for a second time when he knocked a free-kick into the path of Amir Rrahmani, who netted, only for the strike to be deemed offside.

Napoli eventually got a legitimate equaliser eight minutes from time through captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, who swept home from 12 yards. The defending champions then laid seige to the Verona goal in the closing stages but time ran out in the search for a winner.

The result has damanged Napoli's hopes of retaining the scudetto as they fell four points behind leaders Inter Milan, who won 2-0 at Parma, and who they now face in a top of the table clash at the San Siro on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Lennon Miller was handed his first Serie A start for Udinese and helped his side claim a 2-1 win at Torino. The former Motherwell midfielder completed 80 minutes at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino with Scotland team-mate Che Adams stepping off the bench at half-time for the hosts.

Miller has had to wait for his opportunity at Udinese since making a £4.7million move from Fir Park in the summer. His only previous start came in the Coppa Italia in September, which he marked with a goal in a 2-1 win over Palermo, with his six previous league appearances all coming from the substitutes bench.

Lewis Ferguson was on the losing side as Bologna crashed to a 2-0 defeat at home to Atalanta. The former Aberdeen midfielder played the full 90 minutes.