Spezia made three costly mistakes and Serie A leaders Napoli took full advantage, easing to a 3-0 win at Stadio Alberto Picco on Sunday.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen ruthlessly punished three defensive errors as Napoli beat Spezia 3-0 to increase their lead at the Serie A summit to 16 points.
Luciano Spalletti’s side may not have been at their best but they put in a professional show at the Stadio Alberto Picco on Sunday and were never in danger of dropping points once they got ahead.
A lackluster first half produced few clear-cut chances, but Napoli took the lead just a minute into the second, Kvaratskhelia coolly converting the penalty.
Another mistake allowed Osimhen to score for a fifth straight league game and he netted again soon after as Spezia proved their worst enemies.
Both sides looked determined early on, with Kevin Agudelo threatening first when he blazed over after a drive.
Mattia Caldara then headed Maria Rui’s cross just wide of his own goal at the other end and Giovanni Di Lorenzo headed agonizingly close from the resulting corner.
The proceedings soon calmed down significantly, but a minute after the restart, Spezia gifted Napoli with a breakthrough from the penalty spot.
Arkadiusz Reca bluntly handled the ball in the box and Kvaratskhelia punched home his spot-kick.
Osimhen then took advantage of Ethan Ampada’s clear slot in the 68th minute to nod over Dimitris Nikolaou and Bartlomiej Dragowski.
Two strikers combined five minutes later to end Spezio.
Caldara inexplicably coughed up possession just outside his own box, allowing Kvaratskhelia to blast Osimhen for a tap-in.
What does it mean? Napoli’s lead looks unassailable
If Sunday’s Milan derby ends in a draw, Napoli will end the weekend 15 points clear at the top of Serie A.
Even with the potential distraction of the Champions League yet to come, it’s hard to imagine Napoli dropping the title from this point.
The fact that they don’t even have to be that good to win is itself an ominous sign for the chasing pack, all of whom have been marred by inconsistency.
