Politano scores winner as Napoli come from behind to see off struggling Lecce

[p]The Giallorossi had lost their last two going into this match, but they took the lead here less than three minutes in, when defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/siebert-jamil/IyrZrRYt/"]Jamil Siebert[/a] rose highest to meet [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/veiga-danilo/6D0rROrT/"]Danilo Veiga[/a]’s corner.[/p][p][b]The German centre-back powered his header past a helpless [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/meret-alex/EBsz2tTd/"]Alex Meret[/a], who could only watch on as the ball went in. [/b][/p][p]While [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/napoli/69Dxbc61/"]Napoli[/a] had much of the possession in the opening 45 minutes, the guests were the more creative going forward. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/banda-lameck/IoRXiRdq/"]Lameck Banda[/a] nearly doubled [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lecce/G8lYsMgU/"]Lecce[/a]’s lead midway through the half, cutting in on his right foot before going for goal and forcing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olivera-mathias/bwAJqLBt/"]Mathias Olivera[/a] to block the shot.[/p][p]The Partenopei’s best chance of the half came from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/politano-matteo/lxWZKRDD/"]Politano[/a], who got forward on a counter-attack and tried his luck, but the skipper’s attempt hit the side netting.[/p][p][b]Napoli’s equaliser arrived less than a minute after the restart, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gilmour-billy/MPhh66QA/"]Bobby Gilmour[/a] was afforded too much space to pick out Politano on the wing with a through ball. One pass later, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hojlund-rasmus/0lk9Mt7D/"]Rasmus Hojlund[/a] found the back of the net as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/falcone-wladimiro/OCJ3DqzU/"]Wladimir Falcone[/a] failed to prevent the cross.[/b][/p][image alt="Match stats" id="728987fd-fe8b-459c-be58-abf013e51df9" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="1ec3e39d-af85-4803-aae8-19618f61ad7f" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]That seemed to reinvigorate Antonio Conte’s men, who nearly took the lead shortly after the hour mark when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-bruyne-kevin/MsPs6OI5/"]Kevin De Bruyne[/a] played in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alisson-santos/tYb4OysQ/"]Alisson Santos[/a] in on goal, only for Wladimir Falcone to get down low and deny the winger.[/p][p][b]However, less than two minutes later, Napoli went in front after a looping header from a corner found Politano, who hit his volley first-time into the back of the net.[/b][/p][p]Lecce failed to create any meaningful chances after going down, and ultimately finished with 10 men after Banda had to be stretchered off, with the visitors having already made all of their substitutions.[/p][p]The victory extends Napoli’s unbeaten head-to-head run to eight games (W6, D2), while remaining the only team yet to be beaten at home in the league this term.[/p][p]Meanwhile, it is a third defeat in four for Lecce, though they stay three points above the relegation zone for the time being.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/politano-matteo/lxWZKRDD/"]Matteo Politano[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/napoli/69Dxbc61/"]Napoli[/a])[/b][/p][image alt="Player ratings" id="72a786ef-768a-4215-96fd-cef7c6396b28" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="3ffa1764-f9e7-4a7d-ad46-6b6eed0f7018" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/lecce-G8lYsMgU/napoli-69Dxbc61/summary/stats/?mid=UgVi7k6c"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]