Dec 22, (V7N) - Napoli climbed to the top of Serie A with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Genoa on Saturday. Frank Anguissa and Amir Rrahmani scored in quick succession during the first half to give Napoli control, but Andrea Pinamonti's second-half goal put Genoa back in contention. Mario Balotelli missed a golden chance to equalize late in the match, allowing Napoli to secure their fourth win in five games.

Napoli coach Antonio Conte praised the result but expressed dissatisfaction with his team's second-half performance. "The games must be played from start to finish," he said, urging his players to maintain intensity throughout matches. Napoli now leads the table with 38 points, one ahead of Atalanta, who play Empoli on Sunday.

In the late game, Lazio edged past 10-man Lecce with a dramatic 2-1 win. Valentin Castellanos converted a penalty after Lecce's Frederic Guilbert was sent off for a handball, but Tete Morente equalized shortly after the break. Adam Marusic scored the decisive goal in the dying minutes, moving Lazio into fourth place with 34 points.

The victory was a morale booster for Lazio, coming just six days after their humiliating 6-0 home defeat to Inter Milan. Meanwhile, Genoa's spirited performance against Napoli saw them dominate parts of the game but fail to capitalize on key opportunities.

Napoli and Lazio will look to maintain momentum as the Serie A title race and battle for top-four positions heat up ahead of the winterbreak.

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