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Reuters
Reuters
Sport

Napoli storm back at Lazio to top Serie A

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio vs Napoli - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - September 20, 2017 Napoli's Jose Callejon celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

(Reuters) - Napoli struck three times in five minutes after the break as they beat Lazio 4-1 away to move top of Serie A on Wednesday.

Stefan de Vrij had given Lazio a halftime lead but Kalidou Koulibaly, Jose Callejon and Dries Mertens with a stunner turned the match on its head as Napoli roared back.

Jorginho rounded things off with a stoppage-time penalty.

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio vs Napoli - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - September 20, 2017 Lazio’s Ciro Immobile in action with Napoli's Christian Maggio REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

Napoli have a maximum 15 points from five games, the same as Juventus who beat Fiorentina 1-0 thanks to Mario Mandzukic's 53rd-minute header. Fiorentina had Milan Badelj sent off.

"Napoli have grown a lot and will fight for the title," Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri said.

Both Napoli and champions Juve moved two points above Inter Milan who drew with Bologna on Tuesday.

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio vs Napoli - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - September 20, 2017 Napoli's Jose Callejon celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

AC Milan are fourth after beating SPAL 2-0 -- Ricardo Rodriguez and Franck Kessie both converting penalties.

Edin Dzeko continued his rich vein of form as he scored twice for Roma in a 4-0 thrashing of bottom club Benevento 4-0 -- their ninth consecutive away victory in Serie A.

Benevento's Fabio Lucioni and Lorenzo Venuti also scored own goals. Dzeko, top scorer in Serie A last season, already has five goals to his name from Roma's four games.

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio vs Napoli - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - September 20, 2017 Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

Roma are seventh with nine points, although they have played a game less than all the sides ahead of them.

Torino are up to fifth after a 3-2 win at Udinese.

Napoli have won their opening five games of a Serie A season for the first time since 1987-88 when they were reigning champions and their attack featured Diego Maradona.

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio vs Napoli - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - September 20, 2017 Lazio’s Ciro Immobile in action with Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

They were second best in the first half though against Lazio who took the lead when Ciro Immobile burst down the right and cut back for De Vrij to fire home from close range.

Lazio were stunned when the game turned upside down in two minutes after the break. Koulibaly levelled after 54 minutes before Marek Hamsik set up Callejon to score from 12 yards.

Napoli were running riot and Mertens scored an incredible third, hooking the ball home from a tight angle having been forced wide by Lazio keeper Thomas Strakosha.

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio vs Napoli - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - September 20, 2017 Lazio’s Stefan de Vrij in action with Napoli's Christian Maggio REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

"I would not be uncomfortable with the comparison with Maradona," Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri said.

Atalanta Bergamo were the night's biggest winners, beating Crotone 5-1 with Alejandro Gomez scoring twice.

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio vs Napoli - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - September 20, 2017 Napoli's Jorginho in action REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)

Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio vs Napoli - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - September 20, 2017 Napoli's Lorenzo Insigne in action REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio vs Napoli - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - September 20, 2017 Lazio’s Stefan de Vrij celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio vs Napoli - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - September 20, 2017 Lazio’s Luis Alberto in action with Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Soccer Football - Serie A - Lazio vs Napoli - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - September 20, 2017 Lazio’s Ciro Immobile in action with Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
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