Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped move Napoli another step closer to a first Serie A title in more than three decades with a wonder goal in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Atalanta, which pushed his team 18 points clear.
Georgia winger Kvaratskhelia lashed in the opening goal of the game on the hour mark after spellbinding dribbling left Atalanta’s defence wondering which way to look before the ball finished in the back of the net.
His 11th league strike of the campaign set Napoli on its way to stretching its lead on Inter Milan, which fell to a shock 2-1 defeat at lowly Spezia on Friday.
Amir Rrahmani made sure of the points with 13 minutes remaining with a towering header from substitute Eljif Elmas’ corner.
Lazio can cut the yawning gap between Napoli and the rest to 17 if it wins at Bologna in Saturday’s late match and take the second spot.
But it’s surely only a matter of time until southern Italy’s biggest club wins the Scudetto for the first time since 1990 when Diego Maradona was still strutting his stuff in sight of Mount Vesuvius.
Napoli now turns its attention to the visit of Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday, a 2-0 first-leg lead to protect a debut spot in the Champions League quarterfinals within its grasp.
Defeat will likely damage Atalanta’s bid for Europe’s top club competition as it stays sixth and five points behind the top four.
Roma sits fourth and hosts Sassuolo on Sunday, while AC Milan, which is fifth and level on 47 points with Jose Mourinho’s team, has struggling Salernitana at the San Siro on Monday.
Earlier Udinese snapped a six-match winless streak with a 1-0 victory at Empoli.
Andrea Sottil’s team are ninth on 35 points, level with Bologna and Juventus, after just their second win since the start of October.
Empoli stays 14th but is 10 points above Verona, which is just inside the relegation zone and hosts Monza on Sunday.
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