Napoli vs. Inter Milan: Winners and Losers from Serie A Game

Gonzalo Higuain bagged a brace as Napoli moved to the top of Serie A with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Inter Milan on Monday. Higuain, who leads the league with 12 goals, netted in the second and 62nd minutes to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. Adem Ljajic pulled a goal back for Inter, who hit the woodwork twice in the final minute. Here, Bleacher Report selects winners and losers from the match. .
He scores when he wants. At least it seems that way for Gonzalo Higuain at the moment. Higuain found the net twice more for Napoli on Monday, taking his Serie A-best total to 12 on the season. Both goals were typically excellent strikes, and the second turned out to be the winner. In the second minute, Higuain latched on to the ball in the box before turning and firing a fierce shot past Samir Handanovic at the near post. The Inter goalkeeper had positioned himself well, but Higuain's shot was simply too powerful to stop. The Argentine doubled Napoli's advantage just after the hour mark, running onto Raul Albiol's header before holding off a pair of defenders and finishing high at the far post. In this form, it's hard to come up with new superlatives for Higuain, but perhaps the stats paint an adequate picture. According to Infostrada Sports, Alberto Gilardino is the only Serie A player since 2000 who can match Higuain's current run of eight straight home games with a goal. “It’s a magical night. I am happy for the people, for us. I think it’s deserved and we have to make the most of it, as now we are first,” Higuain told Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia). He added: "We struggled at the end, [but] Pepe Reina made an extraordinary save and we are happy." With their top striker in top form, it's no surprise to see Napoli atop the table. And the Partenopei, who haven't lost since August, must fancy their chances of staying there. Up next in the league is a trip to Bologna before a home date against Napoli. If Higuain continues his current form, who's to say Napoli can't claim a first Scudetto since 1989-90?