Napoli moved 18 points clear at the top of Serie A with a routine victory at mid-table Empoli.
An own goal by Empoli defender Ardian Ismajli broke the deadlock before Victor Osimhen made it 2-0 with his 19th league strike of the season.
Portugal left-back Mario Rui was sent off in the second half for lashing out at Francesco Caputo, but Luciano Spalletti’s side held on comfortably.
Inter can reduce the gap to 15 points again at Bologna on Sunday.
Osimhen has now scored in his last eight Serie A games, becoming the first player to do so since Cristiano Ronaldo – who netted in 11 consecutive matches for Juventus.
The Nigeria forward had the ball in the net again in the second half but the goal was ruled out for offside earlier in the move.
Line-ups
Empoli
Formation 4-3-1-2
- 13Vicario
- 24EbuehiSubstituted forStojanovicat 68′minutes
- 34Ismajli
- 33Luperto
- 65Parisi
- 32HaasSubstituted forPjacaat 76′minutes
- 8HendersonBooked at 25minsSubstituted forGrassiat 57′minutesBooked at 62mins
- 18Marin
- 35Baldanzi
- 9SatrianoSubstituted forVignatoat 77′minutes
- 91PiccoliSubstituted forCaputoat 57′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Perisan
- 3Cacace
- 4Walukiewicz
- 5Grassi
- 6de Winter
- 14Pjaca
- 19Caputo
- 20Degli Innocenti
- 21Fazzini
- 22Ujkani
- 26Tonelli
- 30Stojanovic
- 55Vignato
Napoli
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Meret
- 22Di Lorenzo
- 13Rrahmani
- 3Kim Min-jae
- 6Mário RuiBooked at 67mins
- 99Zambo AnguissaSubstituted forGaetanoat 90+3′minutes
- 68Lobotka
- 20ZielinskiSubstituted forNdombéléat 90+3′minutes
- 11LozanoBooked at 63minsSubstituted forOliveraat 70′minutes
- 9OsimhenSubstituted forSimeoneat 84′minutes
- 77KvaratskheliaSubstituted forElmasat 71′minutes
Substitutes
- 4Demme
- 5Nunes Jesus
- 7Elmas
- 12Marfella
- 17Olivera
- 18Simeone
- 19Bereszynski
- 21Politano
- 23Zerbin
- 31Zedadka
- 55Østigård
- 70Gaetano
- 91Ndombélé
- 95Gollini
Live Text
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Match ends, Empoli 0, Napoli 2.
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Second Half ends, Empoli 0, Napoli 2.
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Corner, Napoli. Conceded by Guglielmo Vicario.
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Attempt saved. Gianluca Gaetano (Napoli) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Giovanni Simeone.
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Foul by MathÃas Olivera (Napoli).
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Petar Stojanovic (Empoli) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt saved. Alberto Grassi (Empoli) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Emanuel Vignato.
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Foul by Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli).
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Fabiano Parisi (Empoli) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Substitution, Napoli. Gianluca Gaetano replaces André-Frank Zambo Anguissa.
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Substitution, Napoli. Tanguy Ndombélé replaces Piotr Zielinski.
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Corner, Empoli. Conceded by Amir Rrahmani.
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Foul by Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli).
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Marko Pjaca (Empoli) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt missed. Eljif Elmas (Napoli) right footed shot from long range on the left is too high from a direct free kick.
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Piotr Zielinski (Napoli) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Razvan Marin (Empoli).
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Attempt blocked. Giovanni Simeone (Napoli) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by MathÃas Olivera.
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Attempt saved. Giovanni Simeone (Napoli) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Eljif Elmas.
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Substitution, Napoli. Giovanni Simeone replaces Victor Osimhen.
