Home SPORTS Napoli Edges Lecce with Clever Free Kick Routine

Napoli Edges Lecce with Clever Free Kick Routine

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Napoli secured a hard-fought win over Lecce, who faced a serious relegation threat after a emotional match marked by tributes to their late physio.



Napoli edged closer to the Scudetto title with a hard-fought victory over Lecce, thanks to a cleverly executed free kick routine by Giacomo Raspadori. The win puts significant pressure on Lecce, who now face a serious relegation threat.


The match was an emotional affair for Lecce, marking their first home game since the passing of beloved physio Graziano Fiorita. In protest of being forced to play Atalanta just three days after his death, the stadium fell silent, with tributes including banners, flowers, and a minute's silence around his kit bag. The crowd also expressed their frustration with the Lega Serie A anthem, criticizing the authorities for insensitivity during their time of mourning.


Napoli welcomed back Nikola Krstovic and Medon Berisha from suspension, while Gaby Jean and Filip Marchwinski were ruled out for the season. Due to injuries to key players, including Alessandro Buongiorno, Juan Jesus, and David Neres, Napoli adjusted their formation to 4-4-2, with Matias Olivera shifting to center-back and Giacomo Raspadori joining the lineup.


The match got off to a lively start, with Napoli scoring within 90 seconds. Matteo Politano cut inside from the right and struck a low shot that inadvertently bounced off Romelu Lukaku's ankle and into the net, wrong-footing goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone – however, the goal was disallowed due to Lukaku being in an offside position.


The Lecce fans staged a protest around the 6-minute mark, throwing fireworks onto the pitch and directing angry chants at Lega Serie A, which forced the game to be paused for several minutes.


Napoli took the lead with a cleverly executed free kick routine. Giacomo Raspadori posed as the taker, while Scott McTominay initially stood next to him before sprinting to the end of the Lecce defensive wall. As the ball was played, McTominay ducked, allowing the ball to pass through while obstructing the goalkeeper's view, and the ball found its way into the net.


Lecce nearly equalized just before halftime when Kialonda Gaspar's header from a corner struck the crossbar. The rebound hit Leonardo Spinazzola's chest and arm, but VAR ruled that his arm was in a natural position, denying Lecce a potential penalty.


After the break, Napoli doubled their lead, but the goal was initially disallowed due to Scott McTominay's clear foul on goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone, who was shoved in the back.




Alex Meret made a spectacular fingertip save to deny a deflected effort from Helgason's shot from the edge of the penalty area. However, Napoli's celebrations were briefly interrupted when Stanislav Lobotka limped off the field due to an ankle injury.


Lecce intensified their attack in the final 20 minutes, with Wladimiro Falcone making a crucial stop on Romelu Lukaku in a one-on-one situation. Despite additional chances from Morten Helgason's free kick and efforts from Tete Morente and Lassana Coulibaly, Lecce couldn't find an equalizer. In response, Napoli manager Antonio Conte brought on Philip Billing to solidify the defense.





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