A clinical Lazio punished a Napoli side too ugly to be true in the last match-up of Serie A Round 13 to lift themselves up in the table and closer to an Europa League slot, just two points behind Sassuolo and the Partenopei themselves.
The Biancocelesti disposed of the Azzurri with goals from Ciro Immobile and Luis Alberto to wrap a game that never seemed in discussion – courtesy of the Partenopei‘s submissive approach. After collecting only four points in the previous four games, it was a good boost of confidence for Simone Inzaghi’s Aquile.
For Napoli, this is the second loss in a row, which makes them plummet eight points from the top of the table, tough still only one from the Champions League slots in view of the simultaneous defeats of Sassuolo and Roma earlier in the day.
? Ecco l'undici scelto da mister #Inzaghi per affrontare il @sscnapoli! #CMonEagles ? pic.twitter.com/KVyuXw9zjj
— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio) December 20, 2020
Inzaghi deployed his usual 3-5-2 lineup with Felipe Caicedo partnering up with Ciro Immobile on the front line in view of Joaquin Correa’s injury. Gonzalo Escalante joined Sergej Milinkovic Savic and Luis Alberto in the middle of the park, with Manuel Lazzari and Adam Marusic marshaling the two flanks. Francesco Acerbi got injured during the warm-up, leaving room to Wesley Hoedt in defense.
Gennaro Gattuso also had his share of absences, including his regular attacking trio – Victor Osimhen, Lorenzo Insigne, and Dries Mertens all being unavailable.
Napoli’s front-line was thus made up by Matteo Politano, Piotr Zielinksi and Hirving Lozano supporting Andrea Petagna in Gattuso’s typical 4-2-3-1. In defense, Nikola Maksimovic was preferred to Kostas Manolas by the coach. The Russian roulette between the sticks saw David Ospina retaking his spot as the starting goalkeeper.
Ciro Immobile showed that he was on fire since very early on in the game, with a beautiful chest control and a volley that missed the goal target despite his beautiful athletic effort.
On 9 minutes, however, the incumbent Serie A capocannoniere slotted the ball home with a wonderful header, making the best out of an Adam Marusic cross from the left flank to put the Biancocelesti ahead.
Napoli tried to react but struggled to show themselves around Pepe Reina’s area. When they did manage to test him, especially with a Fabian Ruiz curling effort on 18 minutes, the Spanish goalkeeper was equal to the task.
? | StartingXI: Ospina, Di Lorenzo, Maksimovic, Koulibaly, Mario Rui, Fabian, Bakayoko, Politano, Zielinski, Lozano, Petagna.#LazioNapoli
— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) December 20, 2020
? #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/Mo4T75IOUQ
On 53 minutes, Kalidou Koulibaly had to raise a white flag due to an injury he suffered during the first half and was replaced by Manolas. Gattuso also took the chance to substitute Politano with Elif Elmas.
But Napoli didn’t have the chance to benefit from their changes as less than two minutes later the Partenopei conceded the second. A Mario Rui mistake in the build-up triggered an exchange between Caicedo and Immobile, with Lazio’s number 9 serving Luis Alberto a golden chance – which the Spaniard turned into a brilliant and winning curling effort.
Mario Rui paid for his blunder as he was soon replaced by Faouzi Ghoulam, with Stanislav Lobotka replacing Tiemoué Bakayoko at the same time. Simone Inzaghi answered by sending in Vedat Muriqi for Felipe Caicedo.
On 75 minutes, Gattuso made his last change in at attempt to shake a Partenopei side that was struggling to produce anything meaningful: Kévin Malcuit replaced Hirving Lozano, with the Mexican also leaving the pitch limping. Immobile and Escalante eventually left room to Andreas Pereira and Danilo Cataldi among the Biancocelesti lines.
Changes were the only noteworthy thing to report after Lazio’s second goal as Simone Inzaghi’s side seemed rightfully happy with the situation and Napoli didn’t seem to have any energy left to attempt to a comeback.
90'+4' | #LazioNapoli 2-0 ✅
— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio) December 20, 2020
? È FINITAA! #LaPrimaSquadraDellaCapitale torna al successo superando per 2-0 il @sscnapoli: decidono @ciroimmobile e @10_luisalberto!#CMonEagles ? pic.twitter.com/Q57UIiepDx
The Azzurri didn’t seem to have any energy at all, if truth be told, and Gennaro Gattuso and his boys will need to forget this match really fast if they want to keep battling for a Champions League spot. Their next game against a struggling Torino side on Wednesday will tell whether this was just a bad night.
Lazio and Simone Inzaghi, on the other hand, couldn’t ask for a better boost to their morale as they prepare to face table-leader Milan in their last test before the Christmas break.
MATCH REPORT
December 20, 2020 – Serie A 2020-21 Round 13
LAZIO-NAPOLI 2-0
SCORERS: 9′ Immobile, 56′ Luis Alberto
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LAZIO (3-5-2): Reina; Luiz Felipe (85′ Patric), Hoedt, Radu; Lazzari, Milinkovic (85′ Akpa Akpro), Escalante (80′ Cataldi), Luis Alberto, Marusic; Caicedo (67′ Muriqi), Immobile (70′ Pereira) (Strakosha, Alia, Armini, Adeagbo, Acerbi, Franco, Anderson) Coach: S. Inzaghi |
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NAPOLI (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Di Lorenzo, Koulibaly (55′ Manolas), Maksimovic, Mario Rui (64′ Ghoulam); Fabian Ruiz, Bakayoko (64′ Lobotka), Zielinski; Politano (55′ Elmas), Petagna, Lozano (74′ Malcuit) (Meret, Contini, Rrahmani, Hysaj, Demme, Llorente) Coach: Gattuso |
REFEREE: Mr. Orsato from Schio
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Hoedt, Escalante, Immobile, Lazzari (L), Lozano, Koulibaly, Lobotka (N); Extra Time: 1st Half 1′, 2nd Half 4′
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