Napoli tightened their grip on the Serie A title race with a hard-fought 1-0 victory away to Lecce. It was powered by a first-half free-kick from Giacomo Raspadori. The win marked Napoli’s fourth consecutive clean sheet and temporarily stretched their lead at the top to six points.
Antonio Conte’s side entered the clash in formidable form and they nearly struck early. Romelu Lukaku smartly redirected a low shot from Matteo Politano into the net in the second minute. However, the goal was disallowed for offside after a VAR check.
Lecce’s reprieve was short-lived. Just past the 20-minute mark, Raspadori earned a free-kick on the edge of the box and converted it himself with a thunderous finish.
Lecce came close to an equalizer before halftime when Kialonga Gaspar met a corner with a powerful header that smacked against the crossbar. Despite a brief spell of pressure from the hosts, Napoli nearly doubled their advantage before the break, but Raspadori dragged his effort wide after being set up by Scott McTominay.
The second half saw Lecce improve after a double substitution, with Porir Johann Helgason injecting some urgency into their attack. The Icelandic midfielder saw one shot deflect narrowly over and another clever free-kick effort hit the side-netting.
But Napoli managed the game superbly in the final stages, frustrating their opponents and keeping control to secure a crucial away win. The result extends their unbeaten run and gives them breathing room as Milan continue to chase.
Lecce’s struggles, however, continue. Now without a win in 12 Serie A outings and goalless in four consecutive meetings with Napoli. Now, they remain perilously close to the relegation zone, just one point clear with the season entering its decisive stretch.
