Napoli 1-1 Lazio ended in a share of the spoils at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday, as Fisayo Dele-Bashiru came off the bench for the league leaders in a hard-fought Serie A draw that keeps Gennaro Gattuso’s side top of the table.
Lazio arrived in Naples on a five-match winning run in the league and looking to extend their lead at the summit, but Antonio Conte’s Napoli stood firm after falling behind, and a second-half own goal from substitute Alfonso Pedraza ensured the points were split in front of a loud Maradona crowd.
The result takes Lazio to 29 points from 11 games, and they stay top of Serie A — at least until the evening kick-offs. For Napoli, it is a point gained against the form team in Italy, and one that keeps them in touch with the leading pack after a testing run of fixtures.
How Napoli 1-1 Lazio unfolded at the Maradona
The visitors struck first, and it was a goal made on the counter. Napoli won a corner through Kevin De Bruyne, but Lazio cleared it and broke at speed. Tijjani Noslin drove forward with the ball and threaded a pass through to Davide Frattesi, who fired past the goalkeeper in the 28th minute to give the league leaders the lead.
It was a deserved advantage on the balance of the first half. Lazio were the more threatening side before the break, creating the better chances and looking comfortable in possession, while Napoli carved out a couple of decent openings but were relieved to reach half-time only one goal down.
The home side needed a response, and they got one within three minutes of the restart — though not from one of their own players. Pedraza, introduced at half-time, turned a cross into his own net in the 48th minute as Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominay challenged for the ball, and suddenly Napoli were level.
The goal changed the game. Napoli grew in confidence and pushed for a winner, while Lazio, who had looked so assured in the first half, were forced to dig in. The chances came at both ends in a tense final half-hour, but neither side could find the decisive touch, and the spoils were shared. The numbers told the story of a tight contest: Lazio edged possession 52% to 48% and outshot the hosts 12 to 8, with four efforts on target to Napoli’s three.
Dele-Bashiru’s cameo and what it means for Tanzania
Super Eagles midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru was named among the substitutes by Gattuso, with the starting XI built around Frattesi, Reda Belahyane and Kenneth Taylor in midfield and Gustav Isaksen, Andrea Pinamonti and Noslin in attack. His moment came just past the hour mark, when he was introduced in the 61st minute in place of Pinamonti, with Manuel Lazzari also coming on for Romano Floriani Mussolini at the same time.
It was his seventh Serie A appearance of the season, and the 29 minutes he played also confirmed his fitness ahead of the international break. Opta figures before the game showed Dele-Bashiru had made six league appearances this season, totalling 203 minutes, with one goal and one assist — the goal being his stunning solo effort off the bench to seal the 3-0 win at Juventus on 18 October, the defining moment of Lazio’s season so far.
The Nigerian will now join up with the Super Eagles for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Tanzania, having been named in Eric Chelle’s 24-man squad for the double-header. Nigeria host the first leg in Uyo on Friday, 13 November, before the return in Zanzibar four days later. For the full list, read Chelle’s 24-man Super Eagles squad for Tanzania.
The Tanzania camp is already gathering — the Taifa Stars landed in Uyo five days early — and Dele-Bashiru will hope his growing role at Lazio carries into the international window. Off the pitch, his future is also moving: Lazio have opened talks over a new and improved contract for the 25-year-old, whose current deal runs until 2028.
Napoli 1-1 Lazio: Lazio stay top — but the chasing pack smells blood
The draw ends Lazio’s five-match winning run, and while they remain top, the chasing pack will feel the title race has opened up again. Lazio’s recent record against Napoli remains strong — they have now lost just once in their last nine meetings with the Partenopei — but dropping two points at the Maradona is a reminder that the summit is no place to rest.
For Napoli, the point is a solid return against the form team in the division, and Conte will take encouragement from the way his side responded to going behind. They are still in the mix, and with the season reaching its first international break, the table is tight enough that one weekend can change everything.
For Dele-Bashiru, the afternoon was a quiet but useful one: another appearance, another step towards becoming a regular in Gattuso’s plans, and a clean bill of health heading into a huge week for Nigeria. For more on the weekend’s big games, check today’s predictions. Elsewhere in the Super Eagles camp, Moses Usor scored a 90th-minute winner for LASK in the Austrian derby on Saturday.
Photos: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona — Gaetano Capaldo, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA); collage by SportsBuddy.
