Serie A | Lazio 0-2 Napoli: Politano inspires, but Aquile lose their temper

Napoli made short work of Lazio with Matteo Politano assists for Leonardo Spinazzola and Amir Rrahmani, but it was a tense game with three red cards and a David Neres injury.

The Partenopei were still missing Romelu Lukaku, Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Kevin De Bruyne and Billy Gilmour, while Lorenzo Lucca had flu. The Aquile sold Taty Castellanos to West Ham, with Patric joining Samuel Gigot on the treatment table, Matias Vecino with flu, plus Boulaye Dia and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru at AFCON. Matteo Guendouzi and Toma Basic returned from suspension, with Elseid Hysaj brought back into the limited squad list.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Tijjani Noslin tried to nod down the Matteo Cancellieri cross rather than go for goal himself, but it was Napoli who took the lead when Matteo Politano stood up the cross from the right for Leonardo Spinazzola to volley home relatively undisturbed at the back post.

Napoli doubled their lead when Politano floated a free kick into the box and found Amir Rrahmani for a totally free header from 10 yards, steering it in without even needing to jump. Lazio wanted a foul given for the pushing and shoving inside the area, but VAR gave the all-clear.

Lazio finally threatened moments later, Noslin robbing Rrahmani, but he only pulled it back for Cancellieri’s shot charged down by Scott McTominay.

It was nearly 3-0 when Eljif Elmas nodded the David Neres cross onto the bar from six yards.

There was nobody ready to meet the Luca Pellegrini pull-back from the left after the restart, while David Neres limped off with a possible ankle sprain.

Gustav Isaksen came off the bench and was blocked off by Juan Jesus for a corner, while Elmas again failed to nod in, this time from Pasquale Mazzocchi’s cross.

Things went from bad to worse for Lazio, who confirmed their terrible disciplinary record. Noslin received one yellow card for a scuffle with Rrahmani, then a second 12 minutes later for a clumsy but not malicious challenge on Alessandro Buongiorno.

Another brawl erupted between Pasquale Mazzocchi and Adam Marusic, who were both sent off after Antonio Conte tried to separate them on the touchline, taking Lazio’s red cards this season up to seven.

It still wasn’t over, as in stoppages Matteo Guendouzi’s header thumped the crossbar on a free kick.

Lazio 0-2 Napoli

Spinazzola 13 (N), Rrahmani 32 (N)

Sent off: Noslin 81 (L), Mazzocchi 88 (N), Marusic 88 (L)