Napoli vs Lazio Review
Lazio surprised title-contending Napoli by securing a 1-0 win in Naples, marking their third consecutive victory at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. With the other teams in the title race winning their matches before kick-off, Napoli faced a challenging game against a Lazio side they hadn’t defeated in their last four encounters. Antonio Conte’s team started strong, with Giovanni Di Lorenzo making a run into the Lazio box and passing to Scott McTominay, whose shot was saved by Ivan Provedel. McTominay continued to pose a threat, heading wide from a cross by Matteo Politano.
Although Napoli started strong, it was the away team that nearly scored first midway through the first half. Gustav Isaksen made a run down the right side, cut inside, and fired a powerful shot that Alex Meret had to deflect. For Napoli, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa came closest to scoring when he flicked the ball up while facing away from the goal and volleyed it, but Provedel managed to save it by pushing it around the post. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia nearly ended the half with a stunning long-range free-kick that went just inches wide of the post.
After halftime, Lazio returned with more determination and almost took the lead when Fisayo Dele-Bashiru struck a powerful shot from 30 yards that hit the crossbar. Conte would have been frustrated with his team’s performance in the second half, as Napoli struggled to find the target in the first 25 minutes. Anguissa did hit the woodwork with a close-range header, making it seem like a goal for Napoli was elusive. Lazio finally scored in the 79th minute after a swift counterattack, with Tijjani Noslin assisting Isaksen, who made a brilliant first touch and curled a shot into the far corner from outside the box.
In a bid to secure at least a point, Conte made several substitutions, but Lazio managed to maintain their lead for a victory that will be celebrated in Bergamo, as Atalanta currently leads the table in their quest for their first Serie A title. Next week, Napoli will face Udinese as they aim to bounce back from consecutive losses to Lazio, following their defeat in the Coppa Italia earlier in the week.
