Napoli v Lecce: CM’s player ratings: Politano the driving force, Alisson in superb form. Siebert causes a scare

Napoli Lecce Serie A

NAPLES

Meret 5.5: not always confident coming off his line, particularly for high balls. Needs to communicate better with his teammates.

Beukema 6: made no serious mistakes; a controlled performance.

Buongiorno 6: after a rather subdued start, he improved in the second half, when he managed to get the better of Stulic and win more physical challenges.

Olivera 6.5: A tidy performance, without too many mistakes, although he took a while to get going.

Politano 7.5: put his heart and soul into seeking the joy of a goal, which arrived in the second half with a fine volley following a corner. Otherwise, a game of character, even when the team offered him little support in the first half.

(from 28' s.t. Gutierrez: n/a)

Gilmour 6.5: his play between the lines is crucial to the rhythm of the game. His quick vertical passes cutting through the opposition’s defensive line are always a thorn in their side and often free up his attacking teammates.

Anguissa 5: a match to forget for the midfielder, who looked very tired physically today. He is still finding his feet after a long lay-off.

(from 1' s.t. McTominay 6: a good introduction to the game, adding quality to the build-up play.)

Spinazzola 6: better going forward, though he struggled a bit when tracking back. Overall, however, his performance was adequate.

(from 28' s.t. Mazzocchi 6: focused primarily on defence, performing effectively and in an organised manner.)

Elmas 5: barely involved in the attacking play, posed little threat, and was rightly substituted at half-time.

(from 1' s.t. De Bruyne 6.5: a very good return to the pitch after a long injury lay-off. He regained control of the midfield, making his presence felt amongst his teammates.)

Alisson Santos 6.5: He did his bit, although in front of goal he always lacked that bit of ruthlessness needed to make the winning move. His presence, however, is always important.

(from 40' s.t. Nascimento: n/a)

Hojlund 6.5: scored the crucial equaliser; his performance was positive overall, although he faded a bit in the closing stages (noted also by teammate De Bruyne)

Manager: Antonio Conte 6: in the first half, the team failed to deliver what the manager asked for, but some players were clearly out of form. Better in the second half, when he turned the game around through his substitutions.

LECCE

Falcone 6: certainly not to blame for the goals conceded; he also made a couple of saves with good reflexes.

Danilo Veiga 5.5: did well in the first half, more involved in the game and more attentive in defence. In the second half, with Napoli pushing much higher up the pitch, he struggled somewhat and left valuable spaces for the opposition.

Siebert 6.5: scored the goal that broke the deadlock and, overall, had a good game, going into challenges fearlessly.

Thiago 6: Held his position well on the pitch, showing good pace and an understanding of the game. He struggled a bit with fatigue towards the end.

Gallo 6: in the first half, he managed to provide a real boost to the attack, also offering some promising assists. He took a step back in the second half, making a few avoidable errors on the counter-attack.

(from 34' s.t. Ndaba: n/a)

Ngom 6: An intense match, covering the whole pitch. A player with plenty of room for improvement.

(from 41' s.t. Fofana: n/a)

Ramadani 6: started well, controlling the midfield whilst covering the entire attacking front.

Coulibaly 5: struggled to get into the game. Often late to the challenges; rightly substituted.

(from 1' s.t. Gandelman 6: made a positive impact on the pitch, worked hard in defence and also made his presence felt on the counter-attack.)

Pierotti 5: posed little threat in attack, struggled and was well marked by the opposition defenders.

(from 34' s.t. N'Dri: n/a)

Stulic 6: his determination in attack was rewarded, even if he was sometimes left too isolated.

(from 12' Cheddira 5: came on but was hardly noticeable. He could certainly have done more.)

Banda 6.5: more dangerous than his teammates. Quick down the wing, he isn’t afraid to try his luck with a dribble.

Manager: Di Francesco 6: Lecce turned up in Naples well-organised and well-drilled. They paid the price for their opponents’ technical ability in the second half.