Napoli maintain the gap despite horrible congestion
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PARMA 1-3 NAPOLI HIGUAIN X2 BRITOS
NAPOLI 1-1 CATANIA MERTENS
SASSUOLO 0-1 NAPOLI GOMEZ
NAPOLI 3-2 ATLANTA BALANTA, CALLEJON, HIGUAIN
CAGLIARI 4-1 NAPOLI MERTENS
NAPOLI 3-1 LAZIO MERTENS X2, HIGUAIN
Following what is thought to be the be the biggest win of the season Napoli were cruising to their third Serie A title ever, but from now on it would all be about keeping their cool and carrying on as usual, as they have done all season. They would just need to keep up the pressure on the title favorites Juventus, and it would be theirs.
There were still another 16 games to go and as we know, a lot can happen in just three let alone 16, so they would need to keep up the form with a win at Parma, who already fell victim to Napoli at away at the start of the season.
Napoli were first to react early on, with a goal coming from the quite brilliant Gonzalo Higuain and we had to wait a while for Parma to get one back. 56 minutes in Obi whipped in a cross from the corner and some scruffy defending from the Partenopei was takien advantage of by Paletta who struck the equalizer into the back of the net.
Now although Napoli's attacking threat is potentially the best in the league, the winner came from a defender. Yes, Uruguayan Britos who hasn't played all season did just what Palleta did at the other end taking advantage of the scruffy defending to win the game. Higuain sealed a brace in the 80th minute with a mistake from the Parma back line, he rounded the ball past the keeper and passed the ball into the net to complete a 3-2 win.
But there would be more slip us on the way and this time to Catania. Napoli did strike first through Mertens who has been incredible all season long, he was passed a through ball by Stanciu and he turned it into the near post with a powerful strike. Sebastien Leto then equalized on the stroke of half time, and managed to suffocate the Napoli attack, holding out for a 1-1 draw.
Sassuolo was up next and they would become the next to be put to the sword, although it wasn't the biggest scoreline, Napoli still got the important three points and a long shot from 25 yards Rodrigo Gomez ensured that.
Could anyone bring them to another loss anytime soon, well not quite just yet. When the Partenopei are high on confidence it's very rare that anyone can bring them down, just as Atlanta experienced.
Atlanta pulled off the shock of the day by going 1-0 up four minutes in German Denis, inside 5 minutes only to have the scores leveled by a powerful Balanta header 30 minutes later. Napoli would then score just before the half time whistle taking advantage of the red card shown three minutes earlier to Mario Yepes. Callejon with the goal.
Atlanta managed to tie the scores for the second time in the game with a wonder striker from German Denis, but 10 minutes on from the second Atlanta goal Higuain completed the route smashing in a low cross from Insigne.
Now an overachieving Cagliari would host the Azzurri and pulled off the biggest shock of the season with a colossal 4-1 win. The Rossoblu took the lead on 19 minutes, but took only one more minute for Mertens to bang in the second of the game.
Cagliari though, responded perfectly and ran riot against the sky blues with a headed goal from Adryan, a perfectly executed one on one chance Ibraimi, and a chipped goal from Pinilla who despite his age, is on top, top form.
It was however back to winning ways when Lazio came to the San Paulo, Higuain was put through on goal with only the keeper to beat, he shimmied a little to throw the keeper off balance and tucked it into the near bottom corner.
Then and unnecessary free kick was conceded by Cigarini on the edge of the box, and Mertens stepped up to prove that he was still the main free kick taker at the club despite Insigne's accuracy from the dead ball. Mertens dipped the ball up and over the wall, into the bottom corner to make the score 2-0 just before the break.
After the break Napoli still came out all guns blazing and their possessive attacking football payed off in the 54th minute when Mertens hit a rebounded shot past the Lazio goalkeeper to complete a hard fort win.
Lazio scored 10 minutes later with a free kick Senad Lulic. Unlike Mertens he bent the ball around the wall and into the far top corner gaining a little pride for his team, but it just wasn't enough to break Napoli's nerves, and the three points went to the team at the top.