What a match. WHAT. A. MATCH. If you'd planned to watch any more football this Sunday, you should probably just stop now if you've watched Napoli - Lazio. There's no way any other match can live up to this seven goal thriller, with six goals being scored inside the last 45 minutes. Napoli came from behind not once but twice to down Lazio 4-3, with Edinson Cavani scoring a hat trick to put him on 25 goals for the season. The win puts Napoli in second place in Serie A, two points above Inter Milan and three behind AC Milan.
Napoli Vs. Lazio: A Seven Goal Thriller Sees Napoli Move Into Second Place In Serie A
The match began as expected: Napoli put their free-flowing, attacking football on display, but couldn't finish, barely troubling Fernando Muslera in the Lazio net. The visitors, meanwhile, hunkered down in their area, resorting to pushing and shoving when a Napoli player came too close to the goal. As per usual, this method would come back to haunt them. But first Lazio were to take the lead, completely against the run of play. Stefano Mauri took a pass from Mauro Zarate past four Napoli shirts, going one on one with Morgan De Sanctis. The ball then rolled past the Napoli keeper, coming to rest just inside the far post.
It looked as though the match was going to be a dull affair, 1-0 at the restart and Lazio with a tendency to sit on slender leads. Instead, somehow, Lazio managed to score another, with Andre Dias getting past his marker to head the ball past De Sanctis. But Napoli weren't about to stand for that, not in their house, and pulled one back within minutes, Andrea Dossena scoring a header off an Ezequiel Lavezzi free kick.
Set pieces proved to be Lazio’s undoing as just two minutes later, Christian Maggio nodded on yet another Lavezzi free kick. Cavani was waiting just in front of goal and easily headed it past Muslera. 2-2, and the Stadio San Paolo exploded.
Lazio were absolutely furious at that point, but it was about to get even worse for them. Christian Brocchi put in a shot that looked as though it had crossed the line, but no official spotted it, and play continued. Just a minute later, in what was likely a moment of justice, Napoli defender Salvatore Aronica put the ball in the back of the net ... the back of the Napoli net. Whoopsies. 3-2 Lazio and Walter Mazzarri looked as though he needed a double whisky and twelve cigarettes.
The 82nd minute brought about Lazio’s inevitable undoing. The team came to Naples missing three players due to suspension, boasting a horrible defensive record, at least in recent matches. Today, Giuseppe Biava earned the scarlet letter, denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity by bringing down Cavani in the area. Commentators everywhere salivated as the Uruguayan stepped up to face his compatriot, Muslera, one on one. Muslera proved that he should never be involved in a land war in Asia by guessing the wrong way, putting Napoli level once more.
One point wasn't sufficient for the scudetto chasers, however. They'd carved out the phrase "Zona Napoli" once before and by George they were going to do it again. Invoking memories of earlier, crazier times, of last-minute victories against Palermo and Steaua Bucharest, it was El Matador once again, completing his hat trick in the 88th minute. Cavani chipped the ball over the head of an onrushing Muslera, with the keeper able to do nothing more than get a finger on the ball as it flew into the back of the net.
A truly thrilling game of football, and one you would do well to seek out and watch. AC Milan might be able to prove themselves in big games, Udinese might be in spectacular form right now, but Napoli proved that they shouldn't be counted out of the title race just yet.
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