Napoli Vs Cagliari Highlights, Serie A: NAP 2-0 CAG; Partenopei Dethrone Inter Milan To Clinch Fourth Scudetto

Greetings and a warm welcome to everyone. We are getting ready for the start of the matchday 38 clash between Napoli and Cagliari that could well decide the Serie A title, and will bring you the build-up and live updates from the game.

The match will begin at 12:15am IST. It will be live streamed on the GXR app and website in India. It will not be telecast on any TV channel in the country.

Napoli were held 0-0 by Parma in their previous game, which is what has kept their title race with Inter still on. Had the Partenopei won on matchday 37, they would have virtually sealed the title, since Inter too played a thrilling 2-2 draw with Lazio.

Here is how Napoli and Cagliari line up ahead of their face-off in Naples:

The players are kitting up and about to enter the pitch at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Napoli know that they still have their fate in their own hands: a win tonight and they seal the Italian league title.

Play gets underway in Naples. Napoli attacking from right to left and Cagliari from left to right in the first half. While the Partenopei are eyeing early goals, the visitors have nothing to lose and would look to bow out on a high.

We are goalless after 26 minutes in this clash, but Inter Milan have drawn first blood in the title race with a 20th-minute goal against Como. This means that the Nerazzurri go one point clear, as it stands, and Napoli must score to alleviate the scoreline pressure. Still early days in both games though.

Napoli getting closer and closer to scoring, and also now visibly displaying more urgency to get a goal in before half-time. Inter's early strike would definitely have had a lot to do with that. Still 0-0 though with around five minutes to go (barring added time) before the first-half whistle.

There comes the opener for Napoli! Scott McTominay conjures a moment of magic to put the Partenopei back in front in the title race. He meets Napolitano's inswinging cross from the right, airborne and volleying it acrobatically past the Cagliari keeper to bring the home fans to raptures.

Napoli go into the mid-game interval with their noses in front in the title race with Inter. The Partenopei know that if the current 1-0 scoreline stays in Naples then they will lift the Serie A title for the fourth time, regardless of what happens in the Como vs Inter Milan game.

Play resumes, Napoli now attacking from left to right and Cagliari from right to left. The Partenopei would be aware that one goal is perhaps not enough and would be eyeing a second one for additional safety.

Romelu Lukaku scores! The veteran Belgian striker dribbles ahead and drives it in from his left foot in the 51st minute. Napoli now have a two-goal lead and are surely in a very strong position to be crowned champions. The celebrations begin in the stands, on cue.

While Lukaku put Napoli in touching distance of the Scudetto, Joaquin Correa scored almost simultaneously for Inter against Como. Simone Inzaghi's men now lead 2-0 at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, but all that doesn't matter in the scheme of the title race as long as the Partenopei win tonight. That's because Napoli would go up to 82 points and Inter 81, in such a scenario, at the end of matchday 38.

The party begins in Naples! Fireworks go off as soon as the final whistle blows, and after five minutes of stoppage time, Napoli beat Cagliari by a 2-0 margin at home. The Partenopei end the season with 82 points, one more than Inter Milan, which means the defending champions have been dethroned and Antonio Conte's men have earned their club a fourth Serie A title.

With Napoli's title triumph, the 55-year-old Antonio Conte has become the first coach to win the Scudetto with three different clubs after previous titles with Inter Milan and Juventus.

The Italian has already won Serie A four times. He led Juventus to the first three of their nine consecutive top-flight trophies in each of his three seasons in charge from 2011-14, and won it with Inter in 2021. In between them, he also bagged a Premier League title with Chelsea in 2017.