Serie A: Higuain nets again as Napoli beat Empoli to reclaim top spot
Serie A: Higuain nets again as Napoli beat Empoli to reclaim top spot
Higuain scored again as Napoli came from behind to beat Empoli 5-1 and restore their two-point lead at the top of Serie A.

Gonzalo Higuain scored again as Napoli came from behind to beat Empoli 5-1 and restore their two-point lead at the top of Serie A after Juventus earlier won 4-0 at Chievo Verona to move provisionally above Maurizio Sarri's side.

Higuain netted his 22nd goal in 22 league matches this season after Leandro Paredes had given Empoli a surprise lead. Lorenzo Insigne fired Napoli in front minutes later and an own goal from debutant Michele Camporese sealed the result before a late double from Jose Callejon.

Alvaro Morata scored twice along with Paul Pogba and Alex Sandro, as Juventus secured a club record-equaling 12th straight win.

Inter Milan will move third — six points behind Napoli — with a derby victory at AC Milan later.

They are currently a point behind Fiorentina, who were held to a goalless draw at Genoa. Fiorentina coach Paulo Sousa was sent off five minutes from time after stopping the ball before it had actually gone out of play.

Torino's match against Hellas Verona also ended 0-0, as did Udinese's against Lazio, which saw both teams finish the match with 10 men amid reports of a brawl in the tunnel.

Bologna squandered a two-goal lead but nevertheless beat Sampdoria 3-2.

The pressure was on Napoli, who knew they needed to win to move back top.

But it was Sarri's former side that went in front in the 28th minute when a well-worked free kick by Paredes took a deflection to wrongfoot Pepe Reina.

Empoli's lead lasted just five minutes before Higuain headed Insigne's cross into the bottom right corner.

Napoli completed the turnaround five minutes later as Insigne curled a stunning free kick into the top left corner.

Napoli extended their advantage six minutes after the break when Camporese turned into his own net as he tried to prevent Higuain from getting to Callejon's cross.

Higuain went off in the 72nd minute to a standing ovation but Napoli added to their tally as Callejon twice fired in crosses from Dries Mertens.

Morata had broken a 20-match goalscoring drought with a double in the Italian Cup semifinal against Inter midweek and he scored another double in Verona.

The Spain forward netted his first in the sixth minute, prodding in Stephan Lichtsteiner's low cross at the back post.

Morata doubled his tally five minutes before halftime with another tap in after Paulo Dybala managed to get the ball through for Sami Khedira to roll across.

Juventus went further in front shortly after the hour as Lichtsteiner cut back for Pogba who unselfishly set up Sandro instead of going for goal himself.

Pogba did get on the scoresheet six minutes later, driving into the bottom right corner after forcing his way into the area.

Allegri has now matched Antonio Conte's all-time club record of 12 consecutive league victories.

The record winning streak in Serie A is Inter's 17-match run in 2006-07.

What's your reaction?

Comments

https://umatno.info/assets/images/user-avatar-s.jpg

0 comment

Write the first comment for this!