A scrum goal from the captain in the 73rd minute unlocks the game and takes the Azzurri to +5 over Inter as they await the super challenge of Juve
Entertainment lovers still have patience. Naples is not yet beautiful, but they are damned granite and cynical. After the 1-0 in Empoli, here is another 1-0, this time against Lecce. Which is still worth three points, but above all it weighs much more in the standings than what the field said, because it puts pressure on Inter and Juve, involved in the clash just tomorrow. Napoli still have a dream in their hearts, and because of Maradona celebrating and hailing this escape attempt with enthusiasm, after the fourth victory in a row. Di Lorenzo took care of solving a game that had become very complicated thanks to the resistance of Lecce’s great team, who defended and counter-attacked fearlessly for the whole 90′. But in Napoli the wind has changed: dreaming costs nothing, but it is urgent to find the real Lukaku quickly.
STOP AT VAR
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Lecce, orderly and dense, immediately put the wall in front of Falcone. The central channels clogged, Napoli have to go to the flanks to look for danger but Neres and Ngonge cannot break through one by one. Napoli created a great opportunity in the 26th minute: Di Lorenzo went to the right and served Ngonge, a powerful shot on the right foot that was well blocked by Falcone. Olivera arrives and hits the crossbar badly and is assisted by Di Lorenzo who makes it 1-0. The VAR asks the referee to stand upside down the blue captain and the score remains 0-0. A few minutes later Meret saves Napoli by reversing Baschirotto’s header, then Buongiorno pushes away. Before the break Lukaku misses from a good position, then Ngonge Falcone rises further, flies and puts it in the corner.
THE WINNING HIGH
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Match blocked also thanks to Lecce. Who stands and starts again with courage as soon as he can. At the start of the second half Lukaku wastes a good chance by shooting high after a good save from Buongiorno. Conte brings in Politano and Kvara and the winger immediately tries to make an impact: in the area with his head he expects Banda who surpasses him, but for the referee Tremolada it is not a penalty, and the VAR does not help him perhaps because . protocol is not a reviewable incident. Then, in the 28th minute, Politano headed in from a corner. McTominay heads the ball, Falcone doesn’t repeat but Di Lorenzo hits the rebound and pierces the Giallorossi wall in half. This time everything is good, the captain can rejoice. The spaces open up, Lukaku serves well to Raspadori who misses the target. Lecce then succeed: Krstovic (34′) scares Meret from far and wide, Dorgu (40′) shoots from outside and then again Meret solves a dangerous situation with his fist coming out high. Maradona begins to sing, Tremolada blows the whistle. Another victory, the fourth in a row that did not happen from January-February 2023, in Spalletti’s escape from the Scudetto. Soon, very soon. But in the meantime Napoli will go there as leaders on Tuesday at the Meazza. The rest, for Conte, is hot air.