Expand / Collapse search
Watch TV
Menu

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

Soccer

Napoli thrash Empoli to retake Serie A summit

By FoxSports
Published | Updated
acf00bd6-

Napoli's Italian forward Lorenzo Insigne celebrates after scoring during the Italian Serie A football match SSC Napoli vs Empoli FC on January 31, 2016 at the San Paolo stadium in Naples. / AFP / CARLO HERMANN (Photo credit should read CARLO HERMANN/AFP/Getty Images)

MILAN --

Gonzalo Higuain scored again as Napoli came from behind to beat Empoli 5-1 and restore its two-point lead at the top of Serie A after Juventus earlier won 4-0 at Chievo Verona to move provisionally above Maurizio Sarri's side.

Higuain netted his 22nd goal in 22 league matches this season after Leandro Paredes had given Empoli a surprise lead. Lorenzo Insigne fired Napoli in front minutes later and an own goal from debutant Michele Camporese sealed the result before a late double from Jose Callejon.

Alvaro Morata scored twice along with Paul Pogba and Alex Sandro, as Juventus secured a club record-equaling 12th straight win.

Inter Milan will move third -- six points behind Napoli -- with a derby victory at AC Milan later.

It is currently a point behind Fiorentina, which was held to a goalless draw at Genoa. Fiorentina coach Paulo Sousa was sent off five minutes from time after stopping the ball before it had actually gone out of play.

Torino's match against Hellas Verona also ended 0-0, as did Udinese's against Lazio, which saw both teams finish the match with 10 men amid reports of a brawl in the tunnel.

Bologna squandered a two-goal lead but nevertheless beat Sampdoria 3-2.

The pressure was on Napoli, which knew it needed to win to move back top.

But it was Sarri's former side that went in front in the 28th minute when a well-worked free kick by Paredes took a deflection to wrongfoot Pepe Reina.

Empoli's lead lasted just five minutes before Higuain headed Insigne's cross into the bottom right corner.

Napoli completed the turnaround five minutes later as Insigne curled a stunning free kick into the top left corner.

Napoli extended its advantage six minutes after the break when Camporese turned into his own net as he tried to prevent Higuain from getting to Callejon's cross.

Higuain went off in the 72nd minute to a standing ovation but Napoli added to its tally as Callejon twice fired in crosses from Dries Mertens.