Romelu Lukaku ensured Napoli maintained their one-point lead at the top of Serie A with the only goal in Sunday’s 1-0 win over his old club Roma.
Belgium striker Lukaku poked home his fifth Napoli goal seven minutes after half-time in Naples, handing veteran Claudio Ranieri a defeat on his return to management with his boyhood club Roma.
Napoli were the better team at the Stadio Maradona and should have been ahead as early as the second minute when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia somehow sent a free header wide from less than six yards out.
Kvaratskhelia was also involved four minutes after half-time with a pinpoint cross from which Lukaku glanced just wide.
Ranieri has a job on his hands at Roma, who are four points above the relegation zone in 12th, but his team were unlucky not to level in the 66th minute when Artem Dovbyk thwacked a header off the bar.
– Reborn Kean –
Moise Kean continued his revival at Fiorentina by netting in a 2-0 win at Como which was his team’s seventh in a row in Serie A.
The 24-year-old has been reborn in Florence after failing to score a single goal at Juventus last season and has scored seven times in his last four matches in Italy’s top flight.
Napoli lead Atalanta, Inter Milan and Fiorentina by a point in a crowded title race which is yet to offer up a clear favourite for the Scudetto.
Lazio can join the chasing trio on 28 points with a home win over Bologna in Sunday’s late match, with Juventus four points off the pace in sixth.
