Lazio's Luis Alberto and Daichi Kamada secured a 2-1 win for last season's runners-up at champions Napoli in Serie A on Saturday to earn Maurizio Sarri's side their first points of the season, while the hosts suffered their first defeat.
2023/2024 Serie A
1-2
Match Report
Napoli sealed comfortable wins over Frosinone and Sassuolo in their opening two games but lacked precision to pass what was expected to be their first real test under new coach Rudi Garcia who took over from Luciano Spalletti in June.
They had 22 shots in the game, but only four on target, compared to a total of six from Lazio.
Napoli stand fourth with six points from three games while Lazio, who were in the relegation zone after defeats by Lecce and Serie A newcomers Genoa, are now 12th with three from three.
The Rome-based side have won back-to-back games at Napoli for the first time since 1937.
Napoli tested Lazio's defence with a flurry of shots in the opening half hour as Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had chances to secure an early advantage.
But the visitors shocked the home crowd by scoring against the run of play on the half-hour through Luis Alberto's cheeky backheel after good work by Felipe Anderson down the right.
Napoli quickly recovered from the setback and levelled two minutes later through Poland midfielder Piotr Zielinski's deflected low shot went past Lazio keeper Ivan Provedel.
The pace did not slow after the break as both sides pressed for a winner and Kamada restored Lazio's lead in the 52nd minute with a low shot for his debut goal in Serie A.
The Diego Armando Maradona Stadium went silent 15 minutes later when Lazio thought they had extended their advantage after Mattia Zaccagni found the net but it was disallowed for offside.
Four minutes later Lazio midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, on loan from Olympique de Marseille, fired home only for VAR to rule his effort out.
'We had a painful first half but not passive. Then in the second half the game was in our hands, we made it 3-1 twice,' Sarri told DAZN. 'Today we had a good mentality ... I hope (the real face of Lazio) is tonight's one.'
They are the first team to win at Napoli since early April when the hosts were handed a 4-0 defeat by AC Milan.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
3' Kvaratskhelia's shot stopped
13' Osimhen's header wide out
21' Kvaratskhelia's long shot stopped
30' GOAL! Napoli 0-1 Lazio (Alberto)
32' GOAL! Napoli 1-1 Lazio (Zielinski)
46' Zielinski's shot stopped
52' GOAL! Napoli 1-2 Lazio (Kamada)
68' OFFSIDE! Zaccagni’s goal disallowed
70' OFFSIDE! Guendouzi’s goal disallowed
Line-ups
Napoli XI: Juan, Zielinski, Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, Politano, Rrahmani, Meret, Anguissa, M.Olivera, Osimhen, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Subs: Mario Rui, G.Simeone, Nikita Contini, Elmas, Jens Cajuste, Giacomo Raspadori, Leo Østigård, Alessio Zerbin, Alessandro Zanoli, Gaetano, Jesper Lindstrøm, Hubert Idasiak, Natan, Lorenzo Russo
Lazio XI: Immobile, Alberto, Hysaj, Anderson, Romagnoli, Marusic, Zaccagni, Ivan Provedel, Cataldi, Kamada, Nicolò Casale
Subs: Pedro, Luigi Sepe, Vecino, Patric, Lazzari, Toma Basic, L.Pellegrini, Guendouzi, Taty Castellanos, Christos Mandas, Rovella, Gustav Isaksen, Mario Gila