Napoli 0-1 Empoli: Champions beaten by strugglers to lose more ...

Viktor Kovalenko’s stoppage-time stunner for Empoli condemned Serie A champions Napoli to a 1-0 defeat and piled the pressure on Rudi Garcia.

Sunday’s meeting with relegation candidates Empoli at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona presented an opportunity for Napoli to go into the international break in third place.

Instead, Empoli substitute Kovalenko curled in a sensational winner for the visitors in the 91st minute.

At the other end, Etrit Berisha was in spectacular form, with Kovalenko’s goal coming just two minutes after Empoli’s goalkeeper had pulled off a superb save to divert Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s close-range effort over the bar.

Berisha had previously denied Kvaratskhelia and Jasper Lindstrom as Napoli built up some momentum, having also made fine stops from Matteo Politano and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in the first half. The one time Napoli did get past the 34-year-old, Giovanni Simeone’s goal was disallowed for offside.

Not that it had been all Napoli – Empoli had opportunities themselves prior to the break, with Filippo Ranocchia and Matteo Cancellieri going close as well as Nicolo Cambiaghi.

Napoli had the better of the second half, but without star striker Victor Osimhen, their efforts proved fruitless as they missed the opportunity to leapfrog Milan, while Empoli moved out of the bottom three.

Napoli had gone five games unbeaten heading into this fixture, and it appeared Garcia might have finally found a way to make things click. But there were some worrying signs against Union Berlin in the UEFA Champions League, and to then go and lose to a team that started the day in 19th at home could put more questions around his approach.

Following Luciano Spalletti was an unenviable task, but so far Garcia has proven far from up to the challenge.

Napoli did not have too many clear chances, but when they did have a sighting of Empoli’s goal, Berisha was as solid as a rock. He made seven saves in total, but the pick of the bunch was his one from Kvaratskhelia in the 89th minute. Napoli’s star winger, who rather bizarrely started on the bench, had the goal gaping and looked all set to arrow a shot into the bottom-left corner, yet Berisha stuck out a leg to turn it over, setting the stage for Kovalenko to do the rest.

Napoli: Gollini 7, Di Lorenzo 6, Rrahmani 6, Ostigard 6, Olivera 5, Anguissa 6, Lobotka 5, Politano 6, Raspadori 5, Elmas 5, Simeone 5. Subs: Kvaratskhelia 6, Cajuste 5, Lindstrom 6, Zielinski 6, Rui n/a.

Empoli: Berisha 9, Bereszynski 6, Ismajli 7, Luperto 7, Cacace 6, Fazzini 6, Ranocchia 7, Maleh 6, Cambiaghi 7, Caputo 6, Cancellieri 6. Subs: Ebuehi 6, Grassi 6, Gyasi 6, Kovalenko 9, Maldini n/a.

12’ – DOUBLE SAVE! Napoli 0-0 Empoli: Empoli have Berisha to thank after he makes two fantastic stops in quick succession. After tipping Politano's effort wide, the Albanian goalkeeper reacts brilliantly to keep out Anguissa's header from the resulting corner. Simeone got onto the rebound, but couldn't skew it into the net.

75’ – SAVE! Napoli 0-0 Empoli: What a strike that is, and what a save from Berisha! Just on as a sub, Lindstrom finds himself with space and time 20 yards out. He sets himself with a great touch and unleashes a wicked effort that looked destined for the top corner, yet Berisha is equal to it.

78’ – SAVE! Napoli 0-0 Empoli: It’s been an excellent defensive rearguard from Empoli, but when they’ve needed him, Berisha has been outstanding. Once again, he pulls out another top save – this time to deny Kvaratskhelia, who had attempted to arrow a shot into the top corner at the near post.

89’ – SAVE! Napoli 0-0 Empoli: What a save from Berisha! This is incredible from Empoli's goalkeeper, who has just stuck out a leg to thwart Kvaratskhelia yet again! It looked for all the world as though the Georgian would win it for Napoli, but his powerful strike from close range was turned wide.

91’ – GOAL! Napoli 0-1 Empoli (Kovalenko): Kovalenko has surely won it for Empoli with a simply sensational shot. The ball was worked back for him on the edge of the box, and the substitute - who was on a 46-match scoreless run in Serie A - curls a wonderful right-footed effort towards the far post. It bends away from Gollini, and he can only watch on as it clips in off the woodwork.

• Empoli scored the first goal of a match in the 90th minute of play for the fourth time in their history in Serie A, but it was their first since April 2006.
• Napoli had seven shots on target without scoring in a home Serie A match for the first time since 22 December 2021 against Spezia.