Napoli edges Roma 1-0 in VAR-fueled thriller as Koné questions the call

Manu Koné, Roma's French midfielder, believes the Video Assistant Referee should have allowed the referee to review the incident that led to Napoli's winner.

Napoli secured a 1-0 victory at the Olimpico, moving level at the top with Milan while Roma dropped to fourth place.

Match day context

The lone goal came from David Neres on a rapid counter after a controversial moment involving Koné being fouled by Amir Rahmani, with the VAR not prompting a review.

Koné told DAZN Italy, "I felt the contact; I was affected, but the referee made the call; at least he should have watched the footage again."

Soccer rules expert Luca Marioli analyzed the incident, noting Rahmani touched Koné's boot but first touched the ball with his toe, a clean contact that did not justify a VAR review.

Reactions and assessment

Regarding the match, Koné admitted Roma struggled to create many chances aside from a late opportunity, noting Pellegrini and Soli were the most efficient in attack, but the service wasn't there.

Napoli's defense was very strong, limiting Roma's movements; Roma did their best, but it wasn't enough.

In the end, Napoli take three points and pile pressure on the title contenders, while Roma left with questions for the next fixture.

Punchline 1: If VAR had a dating profile, it would say, "I'll review first dates, second thoughts, and every late-night coffee spill."

Punchline 2: And remember, in football as in life, timing is everything—except for the referee's stopwatch, which seems to run on Italian espresso time.