Napoli's hopes of finishing in the top two of Serie A were given a boost this evening as they beat second-placed Roma 1-0 at the Stadio San Paolo in Naples.
The visitors came close to taking the lead in the 38th minute when Gervinho turned a rebound from close range, only for Pepe Reina to pull off a good save to deny the striker.
Reina was called into action again five minutes later as Michel Bastos worked space to shoot before firing an effort towards the top corner, but the Napoli keeper was equal to the strike.
The hosts almost grabbed the opening goal right on the stroke of half time as Dries Mertens shot from inside the six-yard box, but Morgan de Sanctis made a fine save to deny the Belgian.
Mertens came close again six minutes after the restart, smashing a powerful effort just inches over the crossbar from the edge of the box.
The hosts continued to threaten and almost took the lead just two minutes later when Jose Callejon latched onto a fine pass before drawing an equally good save from De Sanctis.
De Sanctis could do nothing about Gonzalo Higuain's strike moments later as he fired a volley towards goal, but thankfully for the Roma keeper, it flew narrowly over the bar.
The visitors responded on the hour mark with an increasingly rare chance of their own as Maicon unleashed a powerful effort that drew a good save from Reina.
In what was turning into a battle between the two goalkeepers, De Sanctis was next to impress, denying a low strike from Callejon in the 64th minute.
Roma had a good chance to finally find an opening goal with 15 minutes of the match remaining as Alessandro Florenzi rose highest in the area, but he steered his header just past the post.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 82nd minute. Faouzi Ghoulam's cross picked out Callejon, who produced a bullet header in off the angle to give De Sanctis no chance and put the hosts in the lead.
Maicon almost salvaged a draw for Roma in stoppage time with a powerful shot that flew just past the post, but Napoli managed to hold on for the win and move just three points behind their opponents.
Barney Corkhill
