ROME (AFP) – Napoli breathed fresh life into their Serie A title hopes on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina that ended a five-match winless run, while Atalanta routed Juventus 4-0 to stay in the hunt.
Romelu Lukaku gave Napoli the lead on 26 minutes and Giacomo Raspadori doubled that on the hour before Albert Gudmundsson pulled a goal back for Fiorentina.
Antonio Conte’s Napoli climbed back to within a point of leaders Inter Milan, who came from two goals down to beat bottom side Monza 3-2 on Saturday.
“We deserved the victory,” said Conte. “We could have been a bit more efficient with our chances and managed the final part of the game with less anxiety because let’s not forget that we dropped many points around the 90th minute in the last five games.”
Napoli, who won the title two years ago, were top at the end of January but have been playing catch-up with Inter after picking up just four points in five matches before beating Fiorentina at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Atalanta hammered Juventus 4-0 in Turin to stay within three points of Inter and snap the hosts’ five-game winning streak. It was just a second defeat of the season for Thiago Motta’s side.
Mateo Retegui notched his league-leading 22nd goal of the season from the penalty spot after a handball in the first half and Marten de Roon added a second right after the break for Atalanta.
Davide Zappacosta steered in a third for Gian Piero Gasperini’s rampant side before Ademola Lookman’s deflected strike completed a thumping victory.
“It was an unimaginable result for many, but it was the perfect performance from us,” Gasperini told DAZN, suggesting an unlikely tilt at the Scudetto.
