SSC Napoli on Sunday joined AC Milan at the top of Serie A after winning 1-0 at title rivals AS Roma, as Inter kept pace with the leading pair by beating Pisa SC 2-0.
David Neres stroked home the only goal of a feisty game in the 36th minute at the Stadio Olimpico, ending a blistering counterattack with a calm finish which put Napoli on 28 points.
Napoli are behind Milan on goal-difference, and just one point ahead of both Roma and Inter in a tight scudetto battle in which Antonio Conte’s team are to host Juventus at the weekend.
Photo: EPA
“To come to Rome and play with authority and personality like we did wasn’t easy because Roma came into the game on the back on some positive results,” Conte told DAZN. “We’ve sent a message to ourselves, that if we want it we can have it.”
Roma have been waiting 24 years to be crowned kings of Italy and Sunday’s defeat was already their third against a direct rival this season after also being beaten by the two Milan clubs.
Napoli have bounced back from a meltdown before the last international break and put in a classic away performance, denying Roma any real chances and pouncing at the first opportunity.
Conte had to do without Kevin de Bruyne, Andre-Frank Anguissa and Billy Gilmour — as well as long-term absentee Romelu Lukaku — but has found an effective attacking recipe with Neres and Noa Lang, who buzzed around centerforward Rasmus Hojlund.
It was Hojlund who burst forward and perfectly slipped in Neres for his third goal of the season, while robust defending kept Roma away from Vanja Milinkovic-Savic’s goal.
Roma offered little in reply, failing to break through Napoli’s backline until the 90th minute, when Milinkovic-Savic did enough to keep out Tommaso Baldanzi’s low drive from the edge of the penalty area.
“What is disappointing is that we weren’t able to perform with the right rhythm, and I think we paid a bit for playing on Thursday,” Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini said.
Lautaro Martinez smashed home Pio Esposito’s low cross in the 69th minute and then ensured Inter would claim the points when he tapped in from close range with seven minutes remaining.
A last-gasp loss to Atletico Madrid in midweek and a derby defeat the previous weekend had Inter reeling and although Sunday’s three points will be welcome, the overall performance was not encouraging.
“I’m happy because we won and that’s what we wanted after two defeats... I work for the team, myself and my family, I leave the talk to others,” Martinez told DAZN. “I hope it continues ... the team comes before everything else.”
Martinez’s goals took him to 10 in all competitions and saved Inter’s blushes, as Cristian Chivu’s side were sluggish at the Arena Garibaldi, which is a stone’s throw from Pisa’s world-famous leaning tower.
Pisa, who sit in the bottom three after just one win from their 13 league fixtures, had the better of the chances before Martinez’s first-time strike broke the deadlock.
Atalanta BC coach Raffaele Palladino beat his old team ACF Fiorentina 2-0 thanks to goals either side of halftime from Odilon Kossounou and Ademola Lookman.
Palladino took charge of Atalanta earlier this month following the sacking of Ivan Juric and Sunday’s win was just the third of the league season for the Bergamo club, who sit 11th on 16 points.
In Sunday’s other match, US Lecce defeated Torino 2-1.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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