Last update: October 10, 2022, 9:34 a.m. HST
Napoli’s Matteo Politano celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal from a penalty kick during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Cremonese and Napoli at Zini Stadium in Cremona, Italy on Sunday October 9, 2022. (Spada/LaPresse via PA)
Goals from Matteo Politano, Giovanni Simeone, Hirving Lozano and Mathias Olivera helped Napoli beat Cremonese 4-1 and open a two-point lead at the top of the Serie A table after second-placed Atalanta failed only manage a draw against Udinese.
Napoli sit alone atop Serie A after Giovanni Simeone’s latest super-sub led to a 4-1 win at Cremonese that took his side two points clear on Sunday.
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Unbeaten Napoli led the league on goal difference heading into this weekend’s games but they took advantage of Atalanta to blow a two-goal lead in their 2-2 draw against Udinese with a club-record eighth win in a row in all competitions.
Simeone scored the second in a tight Napoli game with 14 minutes remaining when he met Mario Rui’s deep cross with a close-range header.
It was Simeone’s fourth goal in nine appearances since arriving from Verona in August – only one of which he started – following a positive start to life in southern Italy during which he developed an immediate connection with Napoli supporters.
“I feel a bit like them, a bit Argentinian and a bit Italian,” Simeone told DAZN.
“What matters in football is the quality of time you have. There were many times when I didn’t have much time and did well and times when I had a lot of minutes and I did nothing.
The heavy defeat was hard on the fiery Cremonese who bounced back after falling behind from a light 26th-minute penalty scored by Matteo Politano to equalize Cyriel Dessers’ first Serie A goal a minute after half-time.
However, Massimiliano Alvini’s winless side remain second with three points after losing their sixth in their first nine top-flight matches since 1996.
Luca Zanimacchia hit the bar in the first half and they blew a few half chances with Napoli faltering after Dessers leveled but Simeone broke their spirits and Hirving Lozano and Mathias Olivera put the icing on the cake in the break time.
Coach Luciano Spalletti can now focus on qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages when they host Ajax on Wednesday.
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