The Japan Times - Napoli move seven clear to ruin Sampdoria's Vialli and Mihajlovic send-off

Victor Osimhen poked Napoli ahead in the 19th minute before Eljif Elmas sealed the points with a perfectly-place penalty with eight minutes remaining at a soaking Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genoa.

The win extend Napoli's lead on Juventus, winners over Udinese on Saturday who travel to Naples on Friday, and AC Milan who are a further point back in third ahead of their home match with Roma later on Sunday.

After netting his 10th league goal of the season Nigeria foward Osimhen was also the victim of a brutal foul from Tomas Rincon, who was sent off in the 38th minute for chopping the 24-year-old down as he charged towards goal.

Luciano Spalletti's side bounced back from their defeat at Inter Milan on Wednesday and dampened an emotional evening for Sampdoria whose fans said goodbye to two of their most popular former players.

Vialli's death to pancreatic cancer on Friday at the age of 58 was particularly painful for supporters as the former Italy forward is one of Sampdoria's all-time greats and a key figure in their only league title triumph in 1991.

Mihajlovic, who played for Sampdoria in the mid-1990s and later managed the club, succumbed to leukemia last month and Sunday's match was their first home fixture since he passed away.

The Samp players warmed up for the match in shirts bearing Vialli's number nine, while fans in the stands chanted both players' names as a wreath was laid in their honour by visibly moved coach Dejan Stankovic.

A giant banner hung in the stands for Vialli read "Striker. Champion. Legend." while another said "Thanks to you we know that nothing is impossible".

However Serie A survival is beginning to look increasingly difficult as Sampdoria are 18th, six points behind Spezia who sit just outside the relegation zone and drew 0-0 with Lecce in similarly wet conditions.

The hosts were saved by goalkeeper Emil Audero in the sixth minute when he brilliantly kept out Matteo Politano's penalty, but Osimhen put the away side ahead and from there Napoli took firm control.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia should have done better one-on-one with Audero shortly after Osimhen's opener and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa was then unlucky to see his powerful drive skim just wide.

Sampdoria were then reduced to 10 and from that point sat back in the hope of nicking one on the counter until Elmas made sure of the win.

- Empoli snatch Lazio draw -

Razvan Marin struck in the dying minutes to snatch a dramatic 2-2 draw for Empoli at Lazio, the Tuscans earning a point after being two goals down with seven minutes remaining.

Romania midfielder Marin lashed home the leveller in the fourth minute of stoppage time to stun Lazio who are three points from the Champions League positions in fifth after throwing away a lead for the second time in a week.

Lazio were playing without the concentrated support of their hardcore fans after the Curva Nord section of the Stadio Olimpico was closed as punishment for racist chants directed at Samuel Umtiti during Wednesday's defeat at Lecce.

And Maurizio Sarri's team didn't look in need of their vociferous backing against 13th-placed Empoli until Francesco Caputo pulled one back with an expert finish, setting up the away side to take a precious point with Marin's fine effort.

"I'm really attached to this team, the club and the city," said 35-year-old Caputo, who shot to belated fame at Empoli in 2017.

"Coming here was something I wanted to do at any cost and I managed to do it... When two people both work on a marriage things are always going to go well."

Empoli are one point ahead of Monza and Salernitana following the latter's 1-1 home draw with Torino in the day's opening match.

S.Suzuki--JT