Striker Mattia Destro rejected comparisons with Gonzalo Higuain but wouldn’t dismiss an Italy callup after netting twice in a 3-2 win for Bologna which dented Napoli’s Serie A title hopes on Sunday.
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Napoli struggled to recover after going 2-0 down before the half-hour as Destro muscled his way past Raul Albiol for a 14th-minute opener.
Luca Rossettini headed Bologna’s second seven minutes later and Destro extended their lead on the hour.
Bologna suffered a late scare when Higuain scored a last-gasp brace to set up a tense finale but the Roberto Donadoni’s side held on for a fifth league win that moved them two points clear of the drop zone and saw Napoli miss the opportunity to leapfrog Internazionale at the top of the table.
Argentina front man Higuain now has 14 league goals in 15 games, four more than Sampdoria striker Eder and 10 more than Destro.
“Don’t make comparisons with me and Higuain,” Destro said afterwards. “He’s a big star while I still have a lot of things to improve on.”
Destro was named in a provisional 30-man squad for the 2014 World Cup but was left behind by then Italy coach Cesare Prandelli. But the 24-year-old launched a fresh appeal to current boss Antonio Conte.
“Like all strikers, it’s one of my objectives and I’ll give it everything to achieve,” added Destro.
For Napoli boss Maurizio Sarr, he hoped the loss would serve as a warning in the future.
He told Sky Sport Italia: “We ran into every pitfall that we could’ve had in this game. What changes after this defeat? You tell me. “In fact, losing a game could be useful to rediscover the right attitude from the next one.”
Since Donadoni’s reign, the Rossoblu were unbeaten in three before their 2-0 defeat at Torino last week and his side were on the front foot as they took the lead after 14 minutes.
Destro, who returned from a one-game ban, beat the offside trap to get on the end of Amadou Diawara’s lofted ball before slotting home. Rossettini claimed the second seven minutes later when he headed in Franco Brienza’s corner.
The hosts looked to be in cruise control when Destro scored his fourth goal of the season after the break. The former Roma striker’s scuffed effort swept past Pepe Reina on the hour mark.
But the Partenopei responded three minutes from time as Higuain poked home his 13th goal of the season before grabbing his second in the space of three minutes. But the hosts would hold them at bay, as Sarri’s side lost just their second game in Serie A this term.