Lecce strike early through Siebert, but Hojlund and Politano complete Napoli’s second-half comeback at the Maradona on Serie A Matchday 29.
Napoli recovered from a poor start to defeat Lecce 2–1 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, thanks to a decisive performance from Matteo Politano, who delivered both a goal and an assist in the second half.
The visitors impressed in the opening 45 minutes and even took an early lead, but Napoli’s quality off the bench—particularly Kevin De Bruyne and Scott McTominay—shifted the momentum after halftime and fueled the comeback.
Lecce made a strong start and stunned the home crowd after just three minutes. A corner from Antonino Gallo found Kialonda Gaspar Siebert in the box, and the defender rose above the Napoli defense to head the ball past Alex Meret, giving the visitors a quick 1–0 advantage.
Well organized and physically sharp, Lecce controlled large portions of the first half and limited Napoli’s attacking opportunities. Antonio Conte’s side struggled to break through the defensive lines and lacked creativity in the final third.
At halftime, Conte made decisive changes. Frank Anguissa—clearly out of rhythm—was replaced, while the introductions of De Bruyne and McTominay added energy, leadership, and technical quality to the midfield.
Napoli equalized almost immediately after the restart. Billy Gilmour threaded a clever pass to Politano, who delivered a low cross across the six-yard box for Rasmus Hojlund to tap in from close range, making it 1–1.
The momentum had shifted completely. Napoli continued to press forward, and in the 67th minute Politano completed the comeback. Following a corner delivered by De Bruyne, the winger struck a precise left-footed volley that beat Wladimiro Falcone and gave Napoli a 2–1 lead.
Lecce, which had looked so confident in the first half, gradually dropped deeper and struggled to regain control of the game as Napoli dictated the tempo.
The final minutes brought a worrying moment when Lameck Banda suddenly collapsed off the ball. Medical staff quickly intervened, and the Lecce winger was taken by ambulance to Naples’ Cardarelli Hospital for precautionary tests.
Despite the tense ending, Napoli held on to secure a crucial three points in their push for Champions League qualification. The victory also reduces their gap from Inter to nine points.
For Lecce, the defeat leaves mixed feelings: a strong performance in the first half but little to show for it, with their margin above the relegation zone still dangerously slim.
Match Report
Napoli 2-1 Lecce
Goals:
3’ Siebert (Lecce), 47’ Hojlund (Napoli), 67’ Politano (Napoli)
Napoli (3-4-2-1):
Meret; Beukema, Buongiorno, Olivera; Politano (72’ Mazzocchi), Anguissa (46’ McTominay), Gilmour, Spinazzola (72’ Gutierrez); Elmas (46’ De Bruyne), Alisson Santos (85’ Giovane); Hojlund.
Coach: Antonio Conte
Lecce (4-3-3):
Falcone; Veiga, Siebert, Tiago Gabriel, Gallo (79’ Ndaba); Coulibaly (46’ Gandelman), Ramadani, Ngom (85’ Fofana); Pierotti (79’ N’Dri), Stulic (59’ Cheddira), Banda.
Coach: Eusebio Di Francesco
Referee: Abisso
Yellow Cards: Siebert
Red Cards: None
