Napoli triumphs over Lazio but match ends in chaos with three red cards. Inter top of Serie A

MILAN (AP) — Napoli recorded a comfortable 2-0 win at Lazio amid a chaotic finish to their Serie A match on Sunday as the defending champion continued its good form from the end of 2025.

Leonardo Spinazzola and Amir Rrahmani scored in the first half of Napoli’s first match of 2026 as Antonio Conte’s side remained third, a point behind AC Milan and two points below Inter Milan, which beat Bologna 3-1.

Inter hosts Napoli next weekend.

There was a bad-tempered finish to Napoli’s match, with three red cards in the final 10 minutes.

Lazio defender Adam Marušić and Napoli counterpart Pasquale Mazzocchi were sent off after getting into a scuffle, that descended into a brawl with Conte trying to separate the two sides.

Lazio forward Tijjani Noslin had already been sent off in the 81st minute following a second yellow card.

Napoli had ended last year in fine form with a 2-0 victory over Cremonese, shortly after winning the Italian Super Cup.

The visitors took the lead in the 13th minute. Matteo Politano twisted and turned down the right flank before putting in a cross for Spinazzola to volley home.

Napoli doubled its advantage in the 33rd when Rrahmani headed a Politano free kick into the bottom right corner.

The only negative note for Napoli — apart from the red card — was the sight of David Neres having to be helped off in the 70th minute after the in-form winger went down with an apparent ankle problem, adding to the team’s already lengthy injury list.

Revenge for Inter

Lautaro Martínez scored one goal and set up another as Inter avenged a recent defeat to Bologna in the Italian Super Cup semifinals.

Lautaro set up the opener for Piotr Zieliński shortly before halftime and headed in Inter’s second goal shortly after the break.

Marcus Thuram bundled in a corner before Santiago Castro netted a late consolation for Bologna.

Second win

Fiorentina started the year by getting only its second win of the season, snatching a 1-0 victory over midtable Cremonese to move to within three points of safety.

Substitute Moise Kean — who had only come off the bench eight minutes earlier — scored in stoppage-time, tapping in a rebound after Cremonese goalkeeper Emil Audero could only parry Niccolò Fortini’s header.

Hellas Verona lost 3-0 at home to Torino to leave the three teams in the relegation zone all on 12 points, although Verona has played a match less than Fiorentina and Pisa.

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