Conte’s Napoli win their second straight match despite a below-par display in Lecce. Anguissa’s fourth goal of the season and a crucial penalty save from Milinkovic-Savic keep the defending champions in control of Serie A.
Napoli may not have dazzled, but they got the job done. At the Stadio Via del Mare, a powerful header from Frank Anguissa in the 69th minute proved enough to edge Lecce 1-0 and keep the Partenopei top of the Serie A table after Matchday 9.
The decisive moment came from a set piece, with Neres whipping in a precise cross that Anguissa met with perfect timing to notch his fourth goal of the season. It was another sign of the midfielder’s growing confidence under Antonio Conte, who has transformed the Cameroonian into a consistent offensive threat.
Earlier, Lecce had a golden chance to take the lead. In the 57th minute, the referee awarded a penalty after a VAR review for a Juan Jesus handball. Seventeen-year-old Camarda, on loan from Milan, stepped up—but his effort was saved brilliantly by Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, who guessed correctly and palmed away the shot.
Conte’s rotation once again showed mixed results: Lucca struggled to make an impact up front, while Lang’s evening ended early due to a thigh knock. Politano also limped off with an ankle issue. Still, Napoli’s defensive organization and the commanding presence of Milinkovic-Savic between the posts made the difference.
For Lecce, it’s another encouraging but ultimately fruitless performance. Di Francesco’s side played with energy and courage, earning applause from their fans despite a second consecutive defeat. With six points from nine games, they’ll need to start converting performances into results to climb away from the lower part of the table.
Napoli, meanwhile, follow up their 3-1 victory over Inter with another clean sheet and maintain their two-point cushion at the top.
Match Report
Scorers:
69’ Anguissa (Napoli)
Lecce (4-3-3):
Falcone; Veiga, Gaspar, Tiago Gabriel, Gallo; Coulibaly (76′ Pierret), Ramadani, Berisha (76′ Maleh); Pierotti (46′ Morente), Camarda (70′ Stulic), Banda (64′ N’Dri).
Coach: Di Francesco.
Napoli (4-3-3):
Milinkovic-Savic; Di Lorenzo, Juan Jesus, Buongiorno, Olivera (60′ Spinazzola); Anguissa, Gilmour, Elmas (85′ Gutierrez); Politano (60′ McTominay), Lucca (60′ Hojlund), Lang (48′ Neres).
Coach: Conte.
Referee: Collu
Yellow cards: Olivera (Napoli), Ramadani (Lecce), N’Dri (Lecce)
Red cards: None
Note: 57’ – Camarda (Lecce) missed penalty
