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The result left Napoli boss Antonio Conte fuming after the Scudetto holder, Napoli was on the wrong end of two video assistant referee (VAR) calls, with a first-half penalty decision drawing his ire.

Napoli came into the match on the back of four consecutive wins, including a Supercopa Italiana success, without conceding while Verona had lost its past two, both by a 3-0 scoreline but the visitors came close to pulling off a famous win.

The hosts were on the attack early and the first chance fell to Eljif Elmas, whose shot was saved by Verona goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo.

Despite dominating possession, that would prove to be Napoli's only effort on target in the opening half while Verona made the most of its quick counter-attacking play.

Gift Orban tried his luck from distance, his deflected shot easily gathered by Napoli keeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic before the visitors took a shock lead in the 16th minute.

Cheikh Niasse played a low pass into the six-yard area and the unmarked Martin Frese scored with a delightful backheel.

Things got even worse for the hosts when Verona were awarded a penalty for an Alessandro Buongiorno handball.

Orban stepped up with boos ringing out around the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona but he kept his cool and buried the spot-kick into the bottom corner in the 27th minute.

Rasmus Hojlund headed over a Giovanni Di Lorenzo cross as Napoli struggled to find a way back into the game and Verona held firm to take its lead into the break.

In his post-match press conference, Conte was livid.

"Hojlund's goal was disallowed because I don't know where he should have had that arm," he said.

"We have to accept them and we accept them.

"What is Buongiorno to do with that arm? Does he have to amputate it? It becomes difficult, but we move on."

Napoli piled forward after the interval, and pulled one back from a corner in the 54th minute.

Scott McTominay sent a glancing header towards goal and defender Nicolas Valentini's desperate attempt to head clear ended up in his own net.

Verona found its feet again and Antoine Bernede sent a scorching shot over from the edge of the area.

Napoli thought it had levelled 18 minutes from time but a video assistant referee (VAR) check chalked off Hojlund's effort for handball, and minutes later an offside call denied Amir Rrahmani an equaliser but the goal came eight minutes from the end.

Luca Marianucci played a pass into the area which Di Lorenzo met first time to steer his shot past Montipo.

Verona, whose last win away to Napoli came in 1983, hung on under extreme pressure but came close to snatching a stoppage-time winner with Giovane's attempted chip going narrowly wide.

Conte admitted his side was not at its best in the first half, but he praised the way in which it fought back as the match wore on.

"In the first half there were two negative episodes for us, we could have done better.

"On the penalty there was a somewhat peculiar assessment... but we accept it. These two episodes could kill anyone.

"In the second half we were good at putting our heads on our shoulders. We had the strength to score two goals, and that's what counts."

Napoli's next match is hugely significant as it travels to face league leader Inter Milan on Monday (AEDT), with the Nerazzurri now four points clear after beating Parma 2-0.

Looking ahead to that game, Conte said: "We will face a strong team that has made two Champions League finals in the last three years.

"We will go there with great desire and determination.

"We will do the count as always and those who play will give their best."