Napoli Edges Lecce 1-0 to Maintain Serie A Lead
28 October 2025
Match Snapshot
Napoli edged Lecce 1-0 in the ninth round of Serie A, a match played without their Belgian star Kevin De Bruyne, who will be sidelined for at least three months due to injury.
The decisive moment came in the 69th minute when Cameroonian Frank Anguissa headed home after a cross from David Neres, following a first-half penalty saved by Vanja Milinkovic-Savic that kept Lecce in touch.
Napoli lifted their tally to 21 points, three clear of Roma who prepared for their midweek fixture with Parma, while Lecce remained on six points in 16th place.
De Bruyne's absence was confirmed by manager Gabriele Oriali before kick-off, with Napoli hopeful that Romelu Lukaku can return to training this week to bolster the attack.
In a previous win against Inter Milan (3-1), De Bruyne had opened from the spot before Anguissa's late flourish, shaping Napoli's strong form this season.
The hosts had an opportunity from a VAR-reviewed penalty in the second half, but Milinkovic-Savic saved Francesco Camarda's effort, keeping Lecce in the contest.
The winner arrived when Anguissa rose highest to meet a Neres cross and nodded past the Lecce keeper, continuing his hot form in front of goal this season.
Napoli's formation, a 4-1-4-1, was built around the absence of their two main strikers, Lukaku and the new signing; Napoli relied on Anguissa and Neres for the creative spark while defending stoutly.
The match also carried controversy around the refereeing, with a penalty decision reviewed by VAR and ultimately deemed to be mishandled by the officials, a storyline that drew post-match scrutiny from Italian refereeing circles.
Napoli's lead at the top stood firm as the final whistle blew, with Roma hot on their heels and eyes on the next round as Inter Milan’s result earlier in the week added to the drama around the title race.
Formation notes showed Napoli lining up in a 4-1-4-1, while Inter Milan's setup remained stable, with both teams emphasizing solid defense and opportunistic counters.
