Napoli get Serie A title charge back on track with victory at Lecce
By PA Sport Staff
Napoli extended their lead at the top of Serie A to 19 points with a 2-1 win at luckless Lecce.
A bizarre 64th-minute own goal from Lecce defender Antonino Gallo, who chested the ball back through the gloves of goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone, gifted Napoli victory and got their shock 4-0 defeat to AC Milan last Sunday out of their system.
Napoli, who have not won the Serie A title since 1990, led after 18 minutes when Giovanni Di Lorenzo headed home Kim Min-jae’s cross.
FINITAAA ✅
96’ | #LecceNapoli 1-2
💙 #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/lzCvqvK188— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) April 7, 2023
Federico Di Francesco equalised for Lecce seven minutes after the restart but the hosts were to suffer a sixth straight defeat in cruel fashion.
Second-placed Lazio play their game in hand at Juventus on Saturday. Napoli have nine league games left to play.
Third-placed Milan’s quest for a Champions League place was dented by a goalless home draw with Empoli.
Milan suffered double frustration as a penalty award was eventually ruled out by VAR before substitute Olivier Giroud saw his goal celebrations curtailed by an offside decision.
Inter Milan’s winless streak stretched to six games with a 1-1 draw at Salernitana.
Antonio Candreva denied his former club all three points with a last-gasp equaliser.
Fourth-placed Inter took a sixth-minute lead when Robin Gosens rifled home after Romelu Lukaku had headed the ball into his path.
Nicolo Barella struck a post and goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa saved Salernitana several times as Inter sought to put the game to bed.
But Candreva cannoned an effort off the crossbar before his hopeful cross embarrassed Andre Onana in the visitors’ goal.
Sevilla warmed up for their Europa League quarter-final tie against Manchester United next Thursday by drawing 2-2 with Celta Vigo in LaLiga.
𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐀𝐏 ↔️@RCLens move to within 3 points of the #Ligue1UberEats summit 🏆
Over to you, @PSG_English 👀 pic.twitter.com/gXRHChfalR— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) April 7, 2023
Pape Gueye and Marcos Acuna were sent off as Sevilla – who led 2-0 through Youssef En-Nesyri and Acuna – were reduced to nine men.
Miguel Rodriguez set up a dramatic finale in the 89th minute and Goncalo Paciencia levelled in the third minute of stoppage time to deny Sevilla victory.
Lens reduced Paris St Germain’s Ligue 1 lead to three points with a 2-1 home success over Strasbourg.
Przemyslaw Frankowski and Facundo Medina struck before Kevin Gameiro claimed a consolation goal for Strasbourg, who had Habib Diallo sent off in the final moments.
