Higuain scores 2 as Napoli stops Lazio, Fiorentina wins goal-fest
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Gonzalo Higuain netted twice, the first a superb individual effort, to give Napoli a 4-2 win at Lazio while Fiorentina beat Hellas Verona 4-3 in a Serie A scoring spree on Monday.
Higuain’s goals brought third-placed Napoli back to life after three straight defeats and kept them within six points of leaders Juventus, which has 37, and three adrift of AS Roma.
“It was a fundamental match for us, we couldn’t get too far off top spot,” Higuain said. “I am very happy both for me and the squad.
“I scored and helped the team win. I felt the support of the fans and I’ve been calm even when things weren’t going too well... We’re doing well and we have to grow.”
Lazio’s 18-year-old substitute Keita Balde scored a brilliant goal but it was not enough to stop them sliding to a fifth league defeat of the season.
Higuain put Napoli in front at a half-empty Stadio Olimpico when he collected the ball just inside the Lazio half, powered through the midfield and slipped his shot cleverly under Federico Marchetti.
Unfortunately for Napoli, midfielder Velon Behrami scored own goal less than a minute later and they had to start all over again.
Lazio, however, offered little threat and Goran Pandev put Napoli back in front five minutes after the re-start, the forward being given too much time to turn and shoot.
Pandev then set Higuain clear with a perfectly weighted pass and he calmly slotted his shot into the corner for his seventh goal of the season.
Spanish-born Balde gave the hosts hope when he weaved past three defenders and fired home in the 88th.
Jose Callejon wrapped up the victory for Napoli in stoppage time after Lazio lost possession of the ball in midfield.
Fiorentina’s Serie A leading scorer Giuseppe Rossi converted a second-half penalty to secure the points in a topsy-turvy encounter that left them equal fourth with Inter Milan on 27 points.
The teams shared four goals in a remarkable opening 15 minutes as Borja Valero put Fiorentina ahead in the fifth minute. But Romulo leveled within a minute before Juan Iturbe gave visiting Verona the lead. Valero responded quickly to equalize for Fiorentina.
Peru midfielder Juan Vargas gave Fiorentina a halftime lead and Rossi scored what turned out to be the winner with a 54th-minute penalty awarded for a handball by Bosko Jankovic, who was sent off.
Jorginho scored from a rebound to round out the scoring in the 72nd minute.
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