Italian side Napoli were at their devastating best this Sunday as they hosted AS Roma, who failed to score in the encounter.
Gattusso’s side were ahead in the first half-hour, but it wasn’t until the second half that they added a further three goals. The result means both teams are sitting on 17 points at this stage of the season—but Napoli are ahead on the table on goal difference.
The game began with emotions running high, with both teams pausing in the 10th minute to pay their respect to Napoli legend Maradona who passed on in the past week. The home team were wearing a special edition kit on the night in honour of the Argentina icon.
With the 10th minute show of respect past them, the home side turned their attention to picking up all three points on the night. By the 30th minute, their first goal of many arrived.
It was Lorenzo Insigne who opened the scoring, firing home a free-kick from the edge of the box. With the goal, he equalled Luis Vinicio at the 10th place in all-time goalscorers table for Napoli in the Serie A.
The Italian was also involved in his side’s second goal of the night after he found Fabian Ruiz in the 64th minute to score from just outside the box.
The hosts continued to mount pressure on their visitors who were passengers for most of the game and by the 81st minute, Dries Mertens was on hand to bundle home from the centre of the box.
Substitute, Matteo Politano added his side’s fourth goal in the game in the 86th minute, scoring from the left side of the six-yard box to bring his tally for the season to three goals and two assists in eight Serie A games, more than he managed in 26 games for Napoli and Inter last season.
The win was what the doctor ordered for Napoli, who are still mourning the death of their greatest player.
They are back in action in the Europa League on Thursday against Alkmaar while Roma host Young Boys on the same day.