Nervy Napoli squeeze past Lecce ahead of Milan showdown

MILAN: Napoli had unfortunate Antonino Gallo's own goal to thank for getting their bid for a first Serie A title since 1990 back on track with a 2-1 win at Lecce on Friday (Apr 7), with a Champions League showdown against AC Milan around the corner.

Runaway league leaders Napoli are 19 points clear of closest challengers Lazio after Gallo's unwitting backpass from a Mario Rui cross slipped through the fingers of surprised Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone midway through the second half.

The hosts had been deservedly level with Napoli at the Stadio Via del Mare after Federico Di Francesco's powerfully struck finish cancelled out Giovanni Di Lorenzo's 18th-minute header.

Di Francesco's second league goal of the season was his team's first since mid-February and had a tired-looking Napoli at risk of slipping to another defeat after being hammered 4-0 by champions AC Milan last weekend.

Instead Lecce stay eight points above the relegation zone in 16th while Napoli take another step towards a historic Scudetto with their seventh straight league away win, earned without top scorer Victor Osimhen.

"It wasn't easy getting the result after that defeat (to Milan)... this result gives us some comfort ahead of the coming matches," Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti told DAZN.

Nigeria forward Osimhen might be back for Wednesday's first leg of the all-Italian quarter-final with third-placed Milan -- who face Empoli in Friday's late match -- but they look to have lost his replacement Giovanni Simeone to a thigh injury suffered late on.

"Osimhen wants to play every match... but these are situations that need to be assessed properly," added Spalletti.

"Right now he needs to do some proper training because all he's done is some basic running."

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