Lecce 1-2: Napoli: Freak own goal from Wladimiro Falcone helps Serie A leaders return to winning ways

Napoli reasserted their authority in Serie A with a scrappy 2-1 win at Lecce to go 19 points clear at the top of the table. Giovanni Di Lorenzo put Napoli ahead when he directed Min-Jae Kim’s cross into the net with a powerful header at the near post.

Ad Lecce pulled level through Federico Di Franceso, who made the most of Assan Ceesay's effort that had cannoned off the bar, before the winger neatly converted the rebound. Serie ANapoli humbled at home as Rafael Leao stars for Milan02/04/2023 AT 18:02 In a moment to forget for Lecce, Napoli were back in front after Antonio Gallo directed an innocent Napoli cross towards his own goal, and goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone could only help into the net with a flapped attempt to keep the ball out.

Three points for Napoli mean they edged ever closer to their first Scudetto in 33 years, and need just 12 points from their remaining nine games to confirm their status as Italian champions. Lecce came out of the blocks quickest in the first half and came close to an opener when Alex Meret tipped Youssef Maleh’s attempted lob over the bar.

Napoli had hardly threatened the Lecce goal before Di Lorenzo gave his side the lead out of nowhere with a powerful header. Centre-back Kim was forward for a free-kick which Lecce managed to clear, only for the defender to recycle the ball with a pin-point cross for Di Lorenzo to run onto, unmarked, and head beyond Falcone at the near post.

There was a lengthy VAR check to ensure the Napoli captain hadn’t made his run too early following the free-kick, which was cleared for the goal to stand. Ceesay gave Napoli a warning when he struck the woodwork with a header early into the second half, and before the visitors could reset, Di Franceso converted the