Sarri insults his former fans then directs Lazio to win over defending champ Napoli

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Maurizio Sarri, the former Napoli coach, sparked controversy as he made his way to Lazio’s match in the southern city. However, his true impact was felt on Saturday when he guided Lazio to a resounding 2-1 victory over Napoli, ending the defending champions’ flawless start to the Serie A season.

Lazio had endured a rough start, suffering defeats in their initial matches after trailing Napoli last season by a significant 16-point margin. Sarri, who previously managed Napoli from 2015 to 2018, initiated a winning mindset during his tenure, a mindset that ultimately led to Napoli’s triumph in the previous season, breaking a three-decade-long title drought.

Having transitioned to Lazio, Sarri aims to replicate his success once more. Lazio’s last Serie A victory occurred nearly 25 years ago, making Sarri’s task quite challenging. Nevertheless, his coaching prowess has already been evident with Lazio’s victory at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in March, contributing to Napoli’s rare home defeats last season.

In the recent match, Lazio’s triumph was orchestrated by Luis Alberto and Felipe Anderson. Luis Alberto’s well-executed backheel shot, set up by Anderson, secured the opening goal for Lazio. After halftime, Anderson’s effort down the right wing resulted in a cross that Luis Alberto cleverly left for Daichi Kamada to strike home, marking Kamada’s debut goal in Italy.

Napoli, not to be outdone, managed to level the score as Piotr Zielinski’s deflected shot found the net just minutes after Luis Alberto’s goal. However, Lazio’s potential was evident as they had two additional goals disallowed due to offside rulings following a VAR review. Additionally, goalkeeper Ivan Provedel’s skillful save denied Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from scoring.

Despite Napoli’s striker Victor Osimhen, who had previously netted three goals in their opening two matches, posing intermittent threats, they failed to make a decisive impact on the game. Napoli’s position was now trailing AC Milan by three points, with AC Milan securing a 2-1 victory over Roma.

Shifting focus to another notable match, Gianluca Scamacca, back in Italy after a stint with West Ham, showcased his prowess by securing two goals for Atalanta in their 3-0 victory over Monza. The first goal was an impressive towering header, followed by a precise strike from the edge of the area. Ederson’s goal set Atalanta on their path to victory, ably assisted by Charles De Ketelaere, who was on loan from AC Milan.

Bologna, on the other hand, displayed remarkable resilience as they managed to overcome a deficit to defeat Claudio Ranieri’s Cagliari 2-1. Giovanni Fabbian emerged as the hero with a late goal in the 89th minute, capitalizing on a goalkeeper error by Boris Radunovic. This victory adds to Bologna’s positive momentum, following a draw against Juventus in the previous weekend’s fixture.

Furthermore, Udinese and the newly promoted Frosinone played to a goalless draw, highlighting the challenges faced by both sides as they navigate the competitive Serie A landscape. For more soccer news, visit the official AP soccer page at https://bigbignews.net/Soccer.

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• Maurizio Sarri
• Serie A
• Lazio
• Napoli
• Italian football
• Gianluca Scamacca
• Atalanta
• Bologna
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