Scott McTominay delivered the goals Napoli needed, scoring twice in a chaotic 4-3 UEFA Champions League victory over Bodo/Glimt at the Maradona Stadium on Tuesday. The Scottish midfielder, registering his first goals for the club according to football-italia.net, struck either side of a Norwegian equalizer to keep Napoli’s campaign alive. Bodo/Glimt pulled it back to 4-3 through Sondre Fet in the 90th minute, but there was no time for a leveler as Napoli held on for three points that lift them to 3 points in 22nd place in the league stage standings.
Key Moments
- 1′, Politano put Napoli ahead almost immediately, converting an assist from Spinazzola to give the hosts the perfect start.
- 27′, Hauge equalized for Bodo/Glimt, finishing from a Fet pass to restore parity in a lively first half.
- 41′, McTominay restored Napoli’s lead just before the break, his first goal for the club, set up by K. De Bruyne.
- 62′, Helmersen leveled again for the visitors, converting a second Fet assist to make it 2-2 and reset the tension.
- 75′, McTominay headed Napoli back in front for the second time, finishing from a Politano cross for his brace and what proved to be the decisive goal.
- 88′, Bjortuft turned into his own net to give Napoli a two-goal cushion at 4-2, appearing to put the result beyond doubt.
- 90′, Fet pulled one back with a late strike to set up a nervous finish, but Napoli survived to take all three points.
Tactical Breakdown
Napoli’s 3-4-2-1 got the ideal start when Politano scored inside a minute, but the Azzurri never looked comfortable despite leading twice in the first half. Their xG of 1.57 against Bodo/Glimt’s 2.69 tells the story: the hosts were effective when it mattered but were outplayed for stretches, surrendering 57 percent possession and being outshot 15 to 17 in total attempts. K. De Bruyne pulled strings in midfield, completing passes and supplying the assist for McTominay’s opener, and the Belgian’s creative presence gave Napoli the quality edge their stats did not otherwise reflect.
The tactical turning point came at the 59th minute when Zambo Anguissa, already booked, was replaced by Lobotka. Napoli had just gone to 3-2 after Helmersen’s equalizer and needed stability. The triple substitution at the 79th minute, bringing on Olivera, Beukema and Giovane, was meant to add defensive solidity with a two-goal lead after the own goal at 88 minutes. It nearly backfired when Fet scored immediately after, turning the final seconds into a scramble.
Bodo/Glimt’s 4-4-2 caused Napoli real problems through the midfield lines, with Fet running the game from deep and Hauge a persistent threat on the flank. The visitors created enough chances, backed by five goalkeeper saves from Haikin, to suggest they could have taken something from this match. Their failure to hold on defensively whenever Napoli did break was the difference: three individual moments of quality from McTominay and the Politano-McTominay combination ultimately cost them.
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Verdict
Napoli pick up their first win of the UCL league stage and move to 3 points, sitting 22nd in a table where the top 24 advance. Bodo/Glimt drop to 26th on the same points total, outside the automatic qualification places after three rounds. Both clubs remain in contention, but Napoli will know that performances like this, built on individual brilliance rather than collective control, cannot be a template for the rest of the campaign.