Serie A leader Napoli scores late to beat struggling Lecce and Atalanta routs Verona

1 of 11 |

Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Lecce at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

2 of 11 |

Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo, centre, scores the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Lecce at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

3 of 11 |

Napoli players celebrate their 1-0 win at the end of the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Lecce at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

4 of 11 |

Napoli’s Romelu Lukaku, left, and Lecce’s Federico Baschirotto challenge for the ball during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Lecce at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

5 of 11 |

6 of 11 |

Napoli’s head coach Antonio Conte gestures during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Lecce at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

7 of 11 |

Napoli’s Romelu Lukaku, centre, and Lecce’s Federico Baschirotto, bottom, challenge for the ball during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Lecce at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

8 of 11 |

Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Atalanta and Hellas Verona at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, Italy , Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

9 of 11 |

10 of 11 |

Atalanta’s Marten de Roon celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Atalanta and Hellas Verona at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, Italy , Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

11 of 11 |

Atalanta’s Marten de Roon scores during the Serie A soccer match between Atalanta and Hellas Verona at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, Italy , Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

ROME (AP) — Serie A leader Napoli needed a late score from captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo to secure a 1-0 victory over struggling Lecce at home on Saturday.

Di Lorenzo, who had an earlier goal waved off by the VAR, bundled in from close range following a rebound of a header by Scott McTominay.

Antonio Conte’s Napoli moved five points ahead of defending champion Inter Milan, which hosts rival Juventus on Sunday.

Lecce remained one point above last-placed Venezia.

Di Lorenzo’s goal came a minute after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia came on.

It was Napoli’s fourth straight win. The 2023 champion hasn’t lost since dropping its season opener in August at Hellas Verona.

Napoli is not playing in Europe after finishing 10th in Serie A last season. Up next, Napoli visits AC Milan on Tuesday.

Milan’s match at Bologna scheduled for Saturday was postponed due to heavy flooding in Bologna.

Atalanta routs Verona as Retegui gets to 10 goals

Atalanta moved up to fourth by scoring five goals in the first half of a 6-1 win over visiting Hellas Verona.

Mateo Retegui and Ademola Lookman scored twice and Atalanta captain Marten de Roon and Charles De Ketelaere also were on target.

Retegui boosted his league-leading tally to 10 goals in nine matches.

Amin Sarr pulled one back for Verona before the break.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer