Lecce 1-2: Napoli: Freak own goal from Wladimiro Falcone helps Serie A leaders return to winning ways

Napoli reasserted their authority in Serie A with a scrappy 2-1 win at Lecce to go 19 points clear at the top of the table.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo put Napoli ahead when he directed Min-Jae Kim’s cross into the net with a powerful header at the near post.

Lecce pulled level through Federico Di Franceso, who made the most of Assan Ceesay’s effort that had cannoned off the bar, before the winger neatly converted the rebound.

In a moment to forget for Lecce, Napoli were back in front after Antonio Gallo directed an innocent Napoli cross towards his own goal, and goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone could only help into the net with a flapped attempt to keep the ball out.

Three points for Napoli mean they edged ever closer to their first Scudetto in 33 years, and need just 12 points from their remaining nine games to confirm their status as Italian champions.

Lecce came out of the blocks quickest in the first half and came close to an opener when Alex Meret tipped Youssef Maleh’s attempted lob over the bar.

Napoli had hardly threatened the Lecce goal before Di Lorenzo gave his side the lead out of nowhere with a powerful header.

Centre-back Kim was forward for a free-kick which Lecce managed to clear, only for the defender to recycle the ball with a pin-point cross for Di Lorenzo to run onto, unmarked, and head beyond Falcone at the near post.

There was a lengthy VAR check to ensure the Napoli captain hadn’t made his run too early following the free-kick, which was cleared for the goal to stand.

Ceesay gave Napoli a warning when he struck the woodwork with a header early into the second half, and before the visitors could reset, Di Franceso converted the rebound with a clean, low strike to pull Lecce level.

Lecce weren’t on level terms for too long, though, as Gallo gifted Napoli the lead once more with an error involving Lecce goalkeeper Falcone.

Eljif Elmas whipped a ball into Lecce’s penalty box but there was no Napoli danger, as Gallo directed the ball towards his own goal, and Falcone flapped at it before the ball dropped into the net.

Lecce pushed for another equaliser towards the end but couldn’t find one, as Napoli took another giant step towards the title.

TALKING POINT – NAPOLI ON THE CUSP OF GLORY

Napoli need 12 points in their last nine games to clinch the Scudetto for the first time in over three decades. With the league all but wrapped up, as long as Napoli continue to get the results that will confirm their status as champions, that’s all that matters.

Their win at Lecce certainly wasn’t pretty and they needed a helping hand to get across the line, but all they will remember come their title party on June 4, is the three points.

They’ll want to save their best for the Champions League anyway, where they face a stern test against league rivals AC Milan in an all-Italian clash.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – MIN-JAE KIM (NAPOLI)

Min-Jae Kim must have wondered if he’s wasted as a centre back when he fizzed in a pin-point cross for Di Lorenzo to head Napoli ahead. He can do it all. He can make goals, spray the ball around from midfield, and he can certainly defend.

He produced another fine display in the heart of the Napoli defence to see them through, especially as Lecce were probably better and more threatening going forward than the league leaders, but Kim helped keep the opponents relatively quiet as he has so often done this season.

MATCH RATINGS

LECCE: Falcone 5, Gendrey 6, Baschirotto 6, Umtiti 6, Gallo 6, Gonzalez 7, Hjulmand 7, Maleh 6, Oudin 7, Ceesay 6, Di Francesco 8

Subs: Askildsen 6, Helgason 6, Banda N/A, Strefezza 5, Persson 6

NAPOLI: Meret 7, Di Lorenzo 8, Rrahmani 7, Kim 8, Rui 7, Anguissa 7, Lobokta 8, Elmas 7, Lozano 6, Raspadori 6, Kvaratskhelia 7

Subs: Zerbin N/A, Simone 6, Politano N/A, Ndombele 6, Olivera N/A

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

9’ – MERET TIPS MALEH’S EFFORT OVER! Lozano loses the ball up the pitch for Napoli and Lecce quickly break forward and find Maleh, who tries to lob Alex Meret from outside the box, but the Napoli goalkeeper is at full stretch to tip the ball behind.

18’ – GOAL! LECCE 0-1 NAPOLI (DI LORENZO): Kim bursts down the right flank and picks out Di Lorenzo, who is unmarked and powerfully guides the cross beyond Wladimiro Falcone.

34’ – LOZANO DENIED BY FALCONE! The forward pulls the trigger on a low shot just outside the 18-yard box, but Falcone gets down well to turn the ball behind.

40’ – CEESAY CAN’T CONNECT WITH THE BALL! Di Francesco delivers a cross on a plate for Assan Ceesay, who jumps highest for the ball in the six-yard box, but can only get the smallest of touches on the ball which flashes past Meret’s goal. What a chance for the equaliser!

52’ – GOAL! LECCE 1-1 NAPOLI (DI FRANCESCO): Ceesay comes within inches of scoring himself when he rattles the bar with a header, but the rebound falls to Di Francesco, who shows some quick footwork before fizzing a shot across the grass and past Meret into the bottom left corner of the goal.

64’ – GOAL! LECCE 1-2 NAPOLI (FALCONE OWN GOAL): Elmas whips a ball into the Lecce penalty box but there’s no Napoli danger as Gallo directs the ball towards his own goal, which Falcone flaps as before the ball drops into the net. A moment to forget for the pair of them!

KEY STAT

• Napoli require 12 points from their remaining nine games to confirm their status as league champions.