Napoli Shocked 2-0 by Lazio

Lazio won away against Napoli 2–0 in a surprising result in Serie A on Saturday afternoon. Lazio scored their first goal very early — just six minutes into the match — and never lost control of the game. Napoli tried hard to score, but they could not find the net all evening.

The first goal came as a real shock to the home crowd. Lazio broke forward quickly from defence and scored before Napoli had time to settle. The early goal changed the whole game. Lazio sat back and defended carefully, while Napoli pushed forward again and again trying to equalise.

Despite having much more of the ball, Napoli were not effective in front of goal. They had nine shots in total, but not a single one was on target. Their star players, including Kevin De Bruyne and Rasmus Højlund, could not create a clear chance all evening.

Lazio made it 2–0 in the 57th minute with a second goal against the run of play. Their goalkeeper, Edoardo Motta, was excellent and made five saves to keep a clean sheet. Lazio were disciplined and very well organised throughout the match.

Both teams received yellow cards — one for Napoli and three for Lazio. Each side made five substitutions as the managers tried to change the game in the second half. The result was an important win for Lazio and a disappointing night for Napoli at home.

Key Events

Time	Event	Team
6'	Goal — 0–1	Lazio
29'	Yellow card	Napoli
33'	Yellow card	Lazio
57'	Goal — 0–2	Lazio
60'	Yellow card	Lazio
90'	Yellow card	Lazio

Match Statistics

Napoli	Statistic	Lazio
9	Shots total	12
0	Shots on target	7
66%	Ball possession	34%
12	Corner kicks	0
1	Yellow cards	3
10	Fouls	9

Glossary

The words and phrases below are used in the match report. Read the meanings and examples to help you understand them.

Word / Phrase	Meaning	Example
to settle	to become calm and comfortable	"Napoli had no time to settle before the first goal."
to equalise	to score a goal that makes the score equal	"Napoli pushed forward to equalise, but they failed."
against the run of play	a goal scored when the other team is playing better	"The second goal came against the run of play."
a clean sheet	when a goalkeeper does not let in any goals	"Motta kept a clean sheet for Lazio."
disciplined	following a plan carefully; not making mistakes	"Lazio were very disciplined throughout the match."
to sit back	to defend deep and not attack much	"After 2-0, Lazio sat back and defended."
on target	a shot aimed at the goal (not wide or high)	"Napoli had no shots on target all evening."
a substitution	when one player is replaced by another player	"The manager made five substitutions."

Vocabulary Exercise

Choose the correct word or phrase from the glossary to complete each sentence. Write your answer on the line.

1.  The goalkeeper did not let in any goals. He kept a ________________.

2.  Chelsea were playing much better, but Liverpool scored. It was a goal ________________ the ________________ of play.

3.  After scoring in the first minute, the team decided to ________________ and defend.

4.  The striker's shot was ________________ — the goalkeeper had to make a great save.

5.  The team was losing 0–1 and they needed to ________________ to stay in the match.

Answers Below:

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Answer Key (for teachers)

1. clean sheet   |   2. against the run (of play)   |   3. sit back   |   4. on target   |   5. equalise