The hosts got off to a nightmare start, falling behind in the opening 90 seconds when a calamitous sequence of events unfolded.
Elia Caprile was initially caught in possession by Rasmus Hojlund, who won a cheap corner kick that was played short and eventually swung towards the back post, where a frantic scramble took place, with the ball ricocheting off the post before falling for Scott McTominay to convert from close range.
It could’ve got worse for Cagliari shortly after when Matteo Politano found space to whip a shot towards the near post, but Caprile did well to divert the ball wide.
Following the bright start, the visitors did begin to come unstuck midway through the half as they struggled for fluency in attack, but Vanja Milinkovic-Savic didn’t have a save to make as the home side ended the first period without a shot on target.
The visitors continued to threaten after the restart and had a golden chance to double their lead on 55’ when Politano was played in behind, but his drilled finish was straight at Caprile, who made the stop.
As the game progressed, the hosts made changes in an effort to spark some inspiration into their attacking play, but the stoppages in play seemingly hampered any attempts to build momentum.
Seeking their fifth straight win in this fixture, Napoli were able to see the game out comfortably, with Cagliari ultimately failing to land a shot on target over the entirety of the game.
The result sees Napoli move into second spot, six points behind leaders Inter Milan, albeit having played a game more.
The seven-game winless run means Cagliari are in danger of slipping into a relegation battle, as Fabio Pisacane’s side could be only three points clear of the bottom three if results go against them this weekend.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Scott McTominay (Napoli)