Lazio’s Matias Vecino, middle, celebrates scoring through the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Lazio, on the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Friday, March 3, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP
A second-half strike by midfielder Matias Vecino earned Lazio a 1-0 win over Napoli in Serie A on Friday, ending the runaway leaders’ profitable streak of eight video games.
Lazio, who made it three league wins in a row for the primary time since October, have provisionally moved two locations as much as second within the standings on 48 factors, one above third-placed Inter Milan and AC Milan in fourth, each with a recreation in hand.
Runaway leaders Napoli, on 65 factors, have suffered solely their second league defeat this season after they’d misplaced away to Inter in January.
“We had to convince the boys that they could come here and get a result, and that’s a lot,” Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri informed a news convention. “If you read Napoli’s numbers at home, it becomes difficult to think you can win.
“This Napoli group goes to win (the title) and I envy it to dying. (Coach Luciano) Spalletti has been phenomenal.”
Lazio could have taken the lead as early as the fifth minute, but Vecino’s close-range header was brilliantly cleared off the line by Napoli defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo who headed it over the bar.
Napoli’s Kim Min-Jae battles for a head ball with Lazio’s Elseid Hysaj through the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Lazio, on the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Friday, March 3, 2023.
| Photo Credit:
AP
While Napoli had extra possession within the first half, Vecino’s likelihood was the closest both facet had and the sport was goalless at halftime.
Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski may have put the hosts in entrance simply earlier than the hour mark, when he acquired a neat cross from Victor Osimhen on the sting of the field however his low shot – though highly effective – narrowly missed the goal.
Lazio ultimately took the lead and sealed the win within the 67th minute by way of Vecino, who picked up a ball cleared by Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and despatched a shocking first-time shot from a distance which went contained in the left put up.
Napoli pushed for an equaliser within the closing quarter-hour however regardless of many late probabilities, together with Osimhen’s header which hit the woodwork, they didn’t handle to rescue a degree.
Napoli have been unbeaten of their earlier seven Serie A house video games towards Lazio (W6, D1), with their final such defeat relationship again to May 2015, below Rafael Benitez.
“The draw was the correct and fairest thing. It happened to us several times that we didn’t settle for a draw and we won, tonight went badly and we accept it,” Spalletti stated.
They subsequent host sixth-placed Atalanta on March 11 earlier than taking up Eintracht Frankfurt of their Champions League final 16 second leg on March 15, which they strategy with a two-goal benefit from the primary recreation.
Lazio host AZ Alkmaar within the Europa Conference League on Tuesday earlier than they journey to Bologna in Serie A on March 11.
Source web site: www.thehindu.com
