NAPLES: A second-half goal from Giovanni Di Lorenzo was enough to earn Napoli a 1-0 win over struggling Lecce on Saturday, and the home side extended their unbeaten run to eight games to stretch their lead in the Serie A standings.
Napoli move on to 22 points, five ahead of defending champions Inter Milan, who take on third-placed Juventus in today's Derby d'Italia.
Di Lorenzo, who had a goal disallowed in the first half, bundled the ball into the net in the 73rd minute after his initial effort had been saved, and it proved enough to take all three points at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Lecce, despite their lowly position and dismal run of results, were far from outplayed by the league leaders but fell to their fourth successive defeat and they remain second from bottom in the standings with five points.
The visitors came into the game on the back of a 6-0 loss to Fiorentina last weekend and with just one win under their belts this season, but they stifled a Napoli side who struggled to create many clear-cut chances.
Last weekend, Napoli laboured to a 1-0 win at Empoli, needing a penalty to unblock the game and, while they were a livelier outfit this time, they still struggled to find a breakthrough in an evenly balanced first half.
The home side's only real chance in the opening 45 minutes came close to halftime when Cyril Ngonge's effort from distance brought a save from Wladimiro Falcone but Lecce's Federico Baschirotto also had a header saved by Alex Meret.
Napoli finally found a way through when Scott McTominay's header from a corner kick was parried away by Falcone and, while the keeper also got a hand to Di Lorenzo's first attempt from the rebound, Napoli's captain scrambled home the follow-up from close range.
Lecce tried to push forward in search of an equaliser but the side who have scored just three league goals this season never seriously threatened Meret's goal and Napoli, while again far from convincing, earned the all-important three points.
Both teams are back in action on Tuesday, with Lecce hosting Hellas Verona and Napoli away to AC Milan, who are not playing this weekend after Saturday's game at Bologna was postponed due to flooding. - REUTERS