Headers from Leo Ostigard and substitute Victor Osimhen, plus a Gianluca Gaetano strike and Matteo Politano penalty, allowed Napoli to crush Lecce and continue their climb up the table.
The Partenopei shook off poor form and off the field controversy in a 4-1 win over Udinese midweek, but went into the Stadio Via del Mare level on points with Lecce, who only just lost their unbeaten record against Juve. Juan Jesus and Amir Rrahmani were still injured, while Jesper Lindstrom got his first start and Victor Osimhen was rested ahead of Real Madrid. The hosts missed Lameck Banda, Kastriot Dermaku and suspended Mohamed Kaba.
Lindstrom scuffed a finish wide after a poor clearance, but Napoli took the lead with Leo Ostigard’s debut Serie A goal, shaking off his marker for a header on Piotr Zielinski’s free kick at the far top corner.
The first Lecce foray forward was on the counter with Alex Meret getting down for a one-handed save on Nikola Krstovic, then Marin Pongracic blasted over from six yards on a corner.
Giovanni Simeone drilled just wide after a well-worked team move involving Zielinski, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa.
A deflected Zielinski effort and Kvaratskhelia free kick also went close. Osimhen came on for the second half and made an immediate impact, because within five minutes he was ready to nod in the perfectly floated Kvaratskhelia cross at the back post.
Lecce had the ball in the net with a Gabriel Strefezza crouching header, but the goal was disallowed because of the earlier Krstovic handball to get it under control.
Wladimiro Falcone was right behind a Giacomo Raspadori daisy-cutter on the Zielinski lay-off, while Roberto Piccoli’s header hit the side-netting and Meret punched away a dangerous Remy Oudin free kick.
Lecce had won all their home games this season between Serie A and the Coppa Italia, but conceded a third late on when Gaetano smashed in from the edge of the box from the Giacomo Raspadori assist.
There was still time for a fourth, as Ramadani first had a horribly heavy first touch in the box, then brought down Gaetano for a penalty. For the second game running, since his mocked miss against Bologna, Osimhen left the spot-kick to a teammate, this time Matteo Politano.
Lecce 0-4 Napoli
Ostigard 16 (N), Osimhen 51 (N), Gaetano 88 (N), Politano pen 95 (N)
Player statistic
| 16' |  |
Leo Östigard (Assist: Piotr Zielinski) | ||
| 17' |  |
Giovanni Simeone | ||
| 33' | |
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | ||
| Antonino Gallo | |
36' |
| 51' | |
Victor Osimhen (Assist: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia) | ||
| Ylber Ramadani | |
57' | ||
| Joan Gonzàlez | |
81' | ||
| 88' | |
Gianluca Gaetano (Assist: Giacomo Raspadori) | ||
| 90+4' |  |
Matteo Politano |
Match statistic
