For the first fifteen minutes, it appeared as though Lecce might have come to Naples looking to take at least a point away from Napoli. The giallorossi managed to threaten Morgan De Sanctis's goal, even while keeping enough players back to frustrate the legendary Napoli counterattack. Such a system can rarely be sustained, however, and it all fell apart for Lecce after 26 minutes, when Ezequiel Lavezzi scored a wonderful goal to give the home side the lead. Both Edinson Cavani and -- get this -- Blerim Dzemaili also scored before the halftime whistle blew.
Napoli Vs. Lecce, 2011 Serie A: Halftime, Partenopei Up 3-0 On Serie A’s Bottom Dwellers
Lavezzi, tired of imprecise balls that he couldn’t quite chase down, decided to create his own chance, taking on two defenders, dribbling through, even adding a nutmeg before sending his shot to the near post. Massimiliano Benassi could do nothing to stop it, and Napoli were off.
Cavani was up next, helped along by Goran Pandev, who seems to be making a case for more regular starts in the partenopei kit. Pandy's ball sliced through the Lecce defense, where Cavani seized it, and, using Benassi as kind of a ramp, slid the ball over the keeper and on into the net. 33 minutes in and a romp seemed to be on.
And, well, you know it's a romp when Dzemaili is scoring against your side. In 26 starts for Parma last season, the midfielder managed but one goal. But the Lecce defense couldn't manage to clear the ball after a long range shot, allowing it to fall at the foot of the Swiss, who sent the shot straight on into the back of the net.
3-0, and Lecce have 45 minutes to pull the same trick Milan played on them back in October.
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