Lukaku scores against his former club and Napoli beats Roma 1-0 to reclaim Serie A lead

ROME (AP) — Romelu Lukaku scored against his former club and Napoli beat struggling Roma 1-0 on Sunday to reclaim the Serie A lead and spoil Claudio Ranieri’s debut with the Giallorossi.

Napoli moved one point ahead of Atalanta, Inter Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio.

Fiorentina won 2-0 at Como for its seventh consecutive victory and Lazio beat 10-man Bologna 3-0.

Lukaku redirected in a cross from Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo early in the second half at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Roma had a chance to equalize but Artem Dovbyk’s header banged off the crossbar.

Lukaku scores against his former club and Napoli beats Roma 1-0 to reclaim Serie A lead | iNFOnews.ca
Roma’s Bryan Cristante reacts during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Roma at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, Italy, Sunday Nov. 24 , 2024. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Lukaku played for Roma last season but was one of the main transfer targets when Antonio Conte was hired at Napoli for this season.

Ranieri was hired 10 days ago as Roma’s third coach of the season, replacing the fired Ivan Juric, who had in turn replaced Daniele De Rossi.

Still, Roma remained in 12th place, four points above the relegation zone.

Kean raises his tally to 9 goals this season

Lukaku scores against his former club and Napoli beats Roma 1-0 to reclaim Serie A lead | iNFOnews.ca
Lazio’s Samuel Grigot, centre, celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Bologna, at Rome’s Olympic Stadium, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Yacine Adli put Fiorentina ahead with a long-range strike early on. Then Moise Kean redirected in a cross midway through the second half for his ninth goal of the season.

Fiorentina last won seven straight in a single Serie A campaign in 1960, when it won eight in a row.

Bologna was reduced to 10 men when Tommaso Pobega picked up two yellows during the first half.

But it took a while until Lazio took control with second-half goals from Samuel Gigot, Mattia Zaccagni and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.

Vieira’s debut draw at Genoa

Lukaku scores against his former club and Napoli beats Roma 1-0 to reclaim Serie A lead | iNFOnews.ca
Lazio supporters cheer before a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Bologna, at Rome’s Olympic Stadium, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Patrick Vieira’s debut as Genoa coach was a 2-2 draw with Cagliari.

Both of Cagliari’s goals came on penalties, including Roberto Piccoli’s equalizer in the 88th.

Vieira was hired on Wednesday to replace the fired Alberto Gilardino.

Mario Balotelli came on late for Genoa and didn’t make an impact.

Torino and Monza drew 1-1.

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