Looking to win a first Scudetto since 2000, Lazio came into this game on the back of six successive league wins. Napoli have had more success since then, winning the Serie A title twice in the past five years, but any challenge this term seems unlikely given they already trailed the Biancocelesti by 14 points prior to kick-off.
It was the visitors who started the stronger, too, as Gustav Isaksen curled just wide of the post inside 60 seconds before Tijjani Noslin’s looping shot almost caught Vanja Milinkovic-Savic out, drifting narrowly past the post.
Napoli’s Noa Lang was then denied by Christos Mandas, but Lazio remained in the ascendancy as Milinkovic-Savic needed to be alert to keep out Josip Sutalo’s corner.
Eventually, Lazio’s pressure paid off, breaking the deadlock on the counter before the half-hour mark, with Noslin supplying a through ball for Davide Frattesi to bury first-time.
Yet as half-time approached, Napoli finally spent extended time in the final third, and a better connection from Rasmus Hojlund after Matias Oliveira’s shot was parried into his path would have given the Partenopei an equaliser.
Massimiliano Allegri’s outfit started the second period as they ended the first, and they were level within three minutes.
Scott McTominay won the ball back in the middle of the park, and an eventual cross into the box was turned home by Alfonso Pedraza while under pressure from both the Scotland international and Hojlund.
Napoli now had the momentum, and McTominay forced Mandas into an important stop before Oliveira curled over from a promising position.
The next clear opportunity fell to Kevin De Bruyne, but he could not beat Mandas when through one-on-one before his rebound effort, which he knew little about, was cleared off the line.
After that strong period from Napoli, the game became far more evenly matched, as both teams had half-chances without really troubling either shot-stopper.
The final stages of the game were something of a damp squib, with no major opportunities subsequently forthcoming.
Despite failing to hold on to their lead, Lazio will remain top of Serie A through the international break, and are still unbeaten this campaign. Napoli, meanwhile, stay eight points adrift of the top four, with just two wins across their past eight games in all competitions.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Christos Mandas (Lazio)
