On the opening fixture of the 25th round, Napoli sustained their second defeat in the Serie A campaign and their very first on their turf, as Lazio stunned the Maradona Stadium. Following an ultra-tactical first half, the encounter came to life in the second period. But while the home side saw more of the ball, it was the visitors who snatched the solitary goal of the evening with a gorgeous long-range missile from Matias Vecino. So here are our player ratings for Napoli who remain the runaway league leaders despite their 0-1 loss at the hands of Lazio.
Napoli (4-3-3)
Alex Meret – 6
The Italian shot-stopper made some routine saves but could do nothing against Vecino’s top-notch rocket.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo – 6.5
The Napoli skipper was one of the best performers for the home side. Pulled off a crucial goal-line clearance in the first minutes to deny Vecino from scoring. He didn’t always dart forward but proved to be dangerous whenever he ventured into attack.
Amir Rrahmani – 6
The Kosovan remained composed throughout the match. Chased Ciro Immobile back to his own area at times.
Kim Min-jae – 6.5
Another solid display from the former Fenerbahce man who didn’t deserve to be on the losing side. Made a flurry of vital blocks and interceptions.
Mathias Olivera – 6
The Uruguayan left-back couldn’t truly inspire when going forward or from set pieces. However, he did well to limit the threats of Felipe Anderson and Pedro.
André-Frank Zambo Anguissa – 6
The Cameroonian did well to retrieve the ball but his passing wasn’t always accurate. Luciano Spalletti hauled him off after conceding the opener.
Stanislav Lobotka – 5.5
A disappointing outing based on the Slovakian’s high standards. Couldn’t truly pick up his Napoli teammates between the lines as he often found the Lazio midfield trident in his way. Also wasted a couple of shots from promising positions.
Piotr Zielinski – 6
The former Udinese man linked up well with Osimhen on some occasions but he drifted out of the match at times.
Hirving Lozano – 5.5
The Mexican hardly excels in such cagey affairs. Deprived of the space, the winger couldn’t inspire much danger on the right flank, though he almost put Osimhen on goal with an exquisite cross that breathed past Ivan Provedel.
Victor Osimhen – 6
The Nigerian never raised the white flag. He almost extended his scoring run to nine Serie A matches in a row but his header bounced off the woodwork. He had a fascinating physical battle against Patric which arguably ended in a stalemate, but the Spaniard will be more pleased with the outcome.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – 5
Sadly for the Georgian, this was one of his least impactful outings since joining Napoli in the summer. Couldn’t always find a way past Adam Marusic, and even when he did, his crosses weren’t on cue.
Substitutes
Eljif Elmas – 4
A forgettable cameo from the Macedonian midfielder who scuffed a glorious chance with a selfish attempt. Could have received his marching orders for blocking Matteo Cancellieri’s run towards goal.
Matteo Politano – 5
Another substitute who failed to add anything noteworthy for Napoli. Lost possession rather cheaply on a few occasions.
Tanguy Ndombélé – N/A
Giovanni Simeone – N/A
Karim Zedadka – N/A
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