Napoli do a Lazio, Lazio win

Season 2025-26

Game 33, Serie A

Saturday, April 18, 2026

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Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples

Napoli Lazio 0-2

Lazio beat a dismal Napoli thanks to Cancellieri and Basic despite missing a penalty.

Official SS Lazio photo

The team

Maurizio Sarri decided to choose a new attacking trio: Mattia Zaccagni, Tijani Noslin and Matteo Cancellieri. An interesting choice but the manager thought that was the best combination to face Napoli. Forced to leave injured Adam Marusic at home, he had no choice but to put in Manuel Lazzari on the right while at least Mario Gila returned. Danilo Cataldi was placed at the centre of midfield.

Lazio had won the last three clashes in Naples, would there be a fourth?

Official SS Lazio photo

First half

Six minutes and Lazio were already ahead. Zaccagni on the left sent a good pass to Kenneth Taylor who raced towards the byline and crossed low to the centre for Cancellieri who had a simple task and made it 1-0.

This was the first sign of how the game was going to pan out. Lazio tight in defence and Napoli completely unable to create anything even remotely dangerous. The Biancoceleste wall was so compact that it was difficult for the Neapolians to find each other, let alone pass. All the Biancocelesti needed to do was wait for the right moment and strike. And that is what happened in the 29th minute. Alessandro Buongiorno was dispossessed by Noslin just inside the Lazio half. The Dutchman had nobody in front of him and he raced towards the box. Once inside he was fouled from behind by Stanislav Lobotka. Penalty. No red card because since the foul was in the box it was just a yellow card. Zaccagni took the responsibility. Vanja Milinkovic-Savic had studied where the Lazio captain shot all his penalties and parried, the ball came back to the centre, Cancellieri was in a perfect position to score, but Zaccagni anticipated him and shot over the crossbar.

Cancellieri tried a shot in the 35th minute again saved by Milinkovic-Savic. The ball arrived near Noslin who was anticipated by a defender into corner. But not according to the referee. This would be the first of three blatant corners not given to Lazio during the game.

In the 43rd minute Lazio on the counter attack with Nuno Tavares, his shot was well saved by Sergej’s brother.

Second half

In the interval Antonio Conte took off dismal Kevin De Bruyne and André-Frank Aguissa substituting them with Elijf Elmas and Alisson Santos.

But nothing changed and Lazio continued to be dangerous. In the 47th minute Toma Basic to Taylor who raced forward, Noslin opened up space for him and once inside the box the former Ajax midfielder tried a shot which went just wide. In the 57th minute Nuno Tavares-Noslin one-two, the Portuguese full-back inside the penalty area from the left crossed low for Cancellieri who had an extremely simple tap in to make it 2-0. He fumbled, but the ball reach Basic behind him who scored.

In the 59th minute came the only real time Napoli were dangerous. Alisson Santos outside the box on the left tried a shot which hit the outside of the post.

The game petered out as the home side lost hope against Lazio's excellent defensive organisation. This goes to show that when Lazio can play on the defensive, they are a good team. When they have to take the initiative and create, they are not.

Who played for Napoli

Milinkovic-Savic, Beukema, Buongiorno, Olivera, Politano (72' Mazzocchi), Lobotka (63' Giovane), Anguissa (46' Alisson Santos), Spinazzola (63' Gutierrez), McTominay, De Bruyne (46' Elmas); Hojlund

Substitutes: Meret, Contini, Juan Jesus, Gilmour, Rrahmani

Manager: Conte

Who played for Lazio

Motta, Lazzari (82' Hysaj), Gila (61' Provstgaard), Romagnoli, Nuno Tavares, Basic (71' Dele-Bashiru), Cataldi (61' Patric), Taylor, Cancellieri, Noslin, Zaccagni (61' Dia)

Substitutes: Pannozzo, Giacomone, Pellegrini, Pedro, Isaksen, Ratkov, Belahyane, Maldini, Przyborek

Manager: Sarri

Referee: Zufferli

Goals: 6’ Cancellieri, 57’ Basic

Booked: Lobotka (N), Cataldi (L), Taylor (L), Dia (L)