Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s goal secured a 1-0 victory for Napoli against Lecce, ensuring they remain at the top of Serie A this weekend, five points ahead of their nearest rival.
In a match held at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, Di Lorenzo netted the only goal after Scott McTominay’s header from a corner was saved by Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone.
This marked Di Lorenzo’s third goal of the season, following an earlier strike that was disallowed for offside.
Despite the win, Napoli struggled to create additional scoring opportunities against a determined Lecce side, who remain in the relegation zone with just five points after suffering their fourth consecutive defeat.
Notably, key players Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Matteo Politano started the match on the bench.
Romelu Lukaku missed Napoli’s best opportunity when he shot over the bar from close range shortly after halftime, and the hosts were left nervous in the dying minutes as Lecce pressed for an equalizer.
Napoli is comfortably ahead of second-placed Inter Milan, who will face Juventus in a crucial match on Sunday.
On Tuesday, Napoli will travel to the San Siro to play AC Milan, who sit fifth in the standings.
Milan’s match against Bologna was postponed due to severe weather conditions that affected the Emilia-Romagna region, leaving much of the area flooded.
Serie A president Lorenzo Casini mentioned that the postponed match would likely be rescheduled for February due to both clubs’ commitments in the Champions League and Milan’s participation in the upcoming Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
