Rasmus Hojlund struck twice as Napoli earned a 2-0 victory at Cremonese in Serie A, lifting Napoli to second place. Antonio Conte’s side now sits one point behind leaders AC Milan and adds pressure on Inter, who plays later on 28 December 2025, after a controlled away performance.
Hojlund’s double continues a strong debut campaign in Italy, with six league goals from 12 Serie A appearances for Napoli. That already beats the four goals scored for Manchester United in 32 Premier League matches last season, underlining much greater efficiency in front of goal this term.
Napoli’s advantage arrived early, as the visitors punished Cremonese in the 13th minute. Matteo Politano’s cross was not cleared, the ball dropped in the six-yard area, and Hojlund
reacted fastest. The forward converted from close range, giving Napoli control and forcing Cremonese to chase the game from then on.
Cremonese almost replied immediately after that opener, creating what became the hosts’ clearest opportunity. Matteo Bianchetti met a loose ball with a sharp half-volley, but the effort flew just over the crossbar. That near miss summed up Cremonese’s evening, with few moments that truly troubled Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.
There was another major opening for Hojlund before the interval, this time from a direct route. Vanja Milinkovic-Savic launched a long clearance that sent Hojlund through on goal. However, control let Hojlund down when one-on-one with Emil Audero, and the chance slipped away with the score still at 1-0.
Napoli’s second goal arrived just before half-time, again involving Hojlund at the heart of the move. Scott McTominay rose to glance a flick-on into space near the six-yard box. Hojlund anticipated the touch, stepped in front of the defence, and finished calmly from the edge of the six-yard area.
After the break, Hojlund chased a hat-trick and almost completed it early in the second half. The striker held off Federico Baschirotto in the box and found enough space to shoot. The finish beat Audero but hit the side-netting, denying Hojlund what would have been a first Serie A treble.
McTominay also went close to adding a third for Napoli late on, driving a strong effort that Emil Audero pushed away. By that stage, Cremonese offered little threat and struggled to create sustained pressure. Napoli managed the tempo, protected possession, and saw out the closing minutes without serious alarms.
Hojlund was central to the attacking output, registering a game-high five shots, with three attempts on target. The forward produced 1.33 expected goals from Napoli’s overall figure of 2.59, underlining constant involvement. The 22-year-old also recorded nine touches inside the opposition penalty area and created three chances, a tally only matched by Noa Lang.
Conte’s Napoli backed that attacking strength with another organised defensive display, recording a third straight clean sheet in all competitions. Cremonese were held to 0.51 expected goals, showing how few clear attempts were allowed. The victory keeps Napoli firmly in the Serie A title conversation, with Hojlund’s growing influence clear at both a statistical and tactical level.
| Category | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Hojlund Serie A 2025-26 goals | 6 in 12 appearances |
| Hojlund Premier League 2024-25 goals | 4 in 32 games for Manchester United |
| Hojlund shots vs Cremonese | 5 (3 on target) |
| Hojlund expected goals vs Cremonese | 1.33 xG |
| Napoli team expected goals vs Cremonese | 2.59 xG |
| Hojlund touches in opposition box | 9 |
| Chances created by Hojlund | 3 |
| Napoli clean sheets in all competitions | 3 consecutive |
| Cremonese expected goals vs Napoli | 0.51 xG |
Full time: #CremoneseNapoli 0-2 #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/bDUIrVtC4SOfficial SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) December 28, 2025
Napoli’s 2-0 success at Cremonese strengthens the club’s Serie A position and highlights Hojlund’s development. With improved scoring numbers, strong underlying data, and another clean sheet for Conte’s side, Napoli maintains close contact with AC Milan while applying extra pressure on Inter before the later kick-off.
