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Neres doubles gives Napoli the Italian Super Cup with victory over Bologna

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — David Neres scored in each half for Napoli as the reigning Serie A champion won the Italian Super Cup for a third time on Monday, beating Bologna 2-0 in Saudi Arabia.

The teams met in Riyadh to decide a tournament played between the winners and runners-up of last season’s league and cup competitions.

Neres’ 39th-minute opener was a worthy cup winner, his superb left foot shot from 25 meters out curling into the far corner and giving an outstretched Federico Ravaglia no chance in the Bologna goal.

His second showed a different side to his attacking talents, as, with nearly an hour gone, he took advantage of a slack pass from Ravaglia and dispossessed John Lucumi before dinking the ball over the prostrate keeper.

It was the second time the former Ajax and Sao Paulo winger has bagged a brace for Napoli since joining the club from Benfica in August 2024.

The win marked Napoli’s third triumph in the competition, following wins in 1990 and 2014. Antonio Conte’s side has won seven of its last nine competitive games.

It sits in third place in Serie A, one point behind AC Milan and two points behind leader Inter Milan.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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