Napoli loses to Fiorentina in blow to Serie A title bid

MILAN (AP) — Napoli’s title hopes took a blow on Sunday as it lost 3-2 at home to Fiorentina in Serie A.

Dries Mertens had canceled out Nicolás González’s opener shortly after coming off the bench. But fellow substitute Jonathan Ikoné also had an immediate impact as he restored Fiorentina’s advantage and Arthur Cabral all but sealed the match.

Victor Osimhen gave Napoli hope but in the end it remained a point behind Serie A leader AC Milan, which visits Torino later Sunday. Defending champion Inter Milan is level with Napoli but has a game in hand.

Napoli was looking to move top of the league, temporarily at least, but it was Fiorentina that took a surprise lead in the 29th minute. A cross from Alfred Duncan was not cleared and González controlled the ball on his chest before firing into the top corner.

Mertens was brought on in the 56th and scored with practically his first touch two minutes later, sweeping the ball into the bottom left corner after Osimhen had raced down the left and pulled back from the byline.

Ikoné took even less time to have an impact, scoring his debut Serie A goal barely a minute after coming off the bench.

Napoli thought it had equalized again but Hirving Lozano was called offside and instead it was Fiorentina that extended its advantage in the 72nd as Cabral sprinted down the left and cut inside past Stanislav Lobotka before curling into the far corner.

Osimhen set up a frantic finale when he pulled one back six minutes from time, chesting the ball down between two defenders and then shooting powerfully into the top corner.

HAT TRICK HERO

Ciro Immobile netted a hat trick as Lazio won 4-1 at relegation-threatened Genoa to boost its chances of qualifying for Europe.

Adam Marušić scored Lazio’s opener in the 31st and Immobile doubled the side’s lead on the stroke of halftime before adding two more after the break.

Genoa briefly reduced the deficit with a stroke of luck as a pass ricocheted off Patric and the underside of the bar for an own goal from the Lazio defender.

Lazio was sixth, two points below its capital rival Roma which beat bottom club Salernitana 2-1. José Mourinho’s team struggled more than expected and needed two late goals to snatch all three points.

Fiorentina is two points behind Lazio and two points above Atalanta, which lost 2-1 at Sassuolo following a double from Hamed Traorè.

Genoa remained three points from safety. It is level on points with Venezia, which lost 2-1 at home to Udinese.