Serie A 2024-25: Di Lorenzo goal earns leader Napoli 1-0 win over lowly Lecce

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.

Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo celebrates scoring their first goal. | Photo Credit: Reuters

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 its unbeaten run to eight games to stretch its lead at the top of the Serie A standings.

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 its lowly position and dismal run of results, were far from outplayed by the league leaders, but fell to their fourth successive defeat and it remain second from bottom in the standings with five points.

Napoli move on to 22 points, five ahead of defending champions Inter Milan, who take on third-placed Juventus in Sunday’s Derby d’Italia.

Last weekend, Napoli laboured to a 1-0 win at Empoli, needing a penalty to unblock the game and, while it was a livelier outfit this time, it 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.