Daijiworld Media Network – Rome

Rome, Aug 24: Napoli’s Premier League recruits made an instant impact on the opening day of Serie A 2025-26, with Kevin De Bruyne and Scott McTominay scoring in a 2-0 win over Serie B champion Sassuolo on Saturday.

McTominay, last season’s Serie A Player of the Year, opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a powerful header from Matteo Politano’s cross. The midfielder almost doubled his tally when his strike rattled the crossbar just before halftime.

Napoli’s second came in bizarre fashion as De Bruyne’s curling free kick from near the touchline evaded everyone and bounced straight into the far corner. The 34-year-old Belgian star joined Napoli this summer after a decade at Manchester City.

Sassuolo ended the match with 10 men after Ismaël Koné was sent off late in the second half.

Elsewhere, Cremonese stunned AC Milan 2-1 at San Siro, with Federico Bonazzoli scoring a spectacular overhead winner. In another big debut, Wesley fired Roma to a 1-0 win over Bologna in Gian Piero Gasperini’s first game in charge. Genoa and Lecce played out a goalless draw.