Napoli rout Lazio to stay top ahead of Juventus

milan — Napoli stamped their authority on the Serie A title race with a come-from-behind 4-1 thumping of Lazio on Saturday to reclaim top spot from champions Juventus.

Juventus’ 2-0 win in Fiorentina had put them top on Friday, but Maurizio Sarri’s side responded in style to maintain their onepoint advantage over the sixtime defending champions.

It was a third straight defeat for Lazio whose position in third — 17 points behind Napoli — is now threatened by Inter Milan and Roma who host Bologna and bottom side Benevento respectively on Sunday.

“It was a win earned with heart and soul,” said Napoli goalscorer Jose Callejon of his side who are targeting a third Serie A title and first since 1990.

“We are working together to achieve the dream. We’ll give our all to the end. We’ve had this dream in our minds since the first day of pre-season training and must continue like this.”

Lazio had taken the lead in Naples when Dutch defender Stefan de Vrij scored in the third minute at the San Paolo Stadium from a Ciro Immobile cross, before Spaniard Callejon pulled the hosts level just before the break.

Napoli’s second came from an unfortunate Lazio own goal as Brazilian defender Wallace tried to intercept a Callejon centre on 53 minutes only to send the ball past his own goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha.

Lazio were reeling two minutes later when left-back Mario Rui scored with a long-range effort which took a lucky deflection off Piotr Zielinski, with the Polish midfielder setting up Dries Mertens, back after an ankle injury, for the fourth and his 15th goal in Serie A this season after 72 minutes.

“I saw an unaccpetable Lazio,” said coach Simone Inzaghi. “We deserved to lose. We weren’t in the game in the second half and against Napoli you pay.” Earlier, Patrick Cutrone hit a double with Lucas Biglia and Fabio Borini also scoring as AC Milan crushed SPAL 4-0 to boost their European ambitions.—