Napoli comes back and beats Lecce: flashes of De Bruyne, Politano’s first goal

Napoli beat Lecce 2-1 in a comeback at the Maradona Stadium in the match valid for the 29th day of Serie A. Antonio Conte’s team scores its third consecutive league victory thanks to goals from Hojlund and Politano and consolidates its third position in the standings, moving up to 59 points, +8 from Como and Roma and -1 from second-placed Milan. Di Francesco’s team plays a dazzling first half but drops in the second half: in the standings it remains 16th on 27 points, + 3 on the relegation zone. Fear for an illness of Banda in the final part of the match: the Lecce player, immediately rescued, leaves the field in the final part of the match.

Napoli struggled in the first half at the Diego Maradona, an enterprising Lecce made the game and after just three minutes they were ahead: on the development of a Gallo corner kick, Siebert’s header overpowered the Azzurri defenders and scored the 1-0 goal past Meret. Conte’s team has trouble getting into the game and the Salentini on 16′ come close to doubling the score with Banda and Tiago Gabriel. The hosts failed to activate the attackers and suffered the pace of the opponents, who lost Lassana Coulibaly to injury in the final half.

Another Napoli in the second half, after Conte undoubtedly made himself heard during the interval. The Lecce coach threw into the fray the two stars McTominay and De Bruyne in place of Anguissa and Elmas, and at 47′ Di Francesco’s fortress immediately collapsed: Politano with a crossbar drew Hojlund who scored from a few meters to make it 1-1.

Luca Franzosi

Spurred by the crowd, the champions of Italy play the game while Lecce is clearly more intimidated and closes down. On 65′ Alisson came close to making it 2-1 on an assist from De Bruyne, but Falcone countered with a foot. At 67′ Napoli took the lead: Politano with a masterful volley on De Bruyne’s corner kick scored his first goal of the season. Conte’s team wisely manages the end of the match.

At the expiration scare for Banda, who was left on the ground after suffering a physical problem. The player recovered but was taken out by the medical car.

Lecce remained in 10 in the final game and the result did not change anymore.