The Albany Gazette - Napoli beat Torino to consolidate third spot in Serie A

Luciano Spalletti's side took advantage of fourth-placed Juve's shock 2-1 defeat at Genoa on Friday to move four points ahead of their rivals with two matches left to play.

Fabian Ruiz's strike in the 73rd minute secured the points for Napoli after Lorenzo Insigne's penalty was saved by Etrit Berisha just after the hour mark.

Napoli have already qualified for next season's Champions League but will want to finish as high as possible after their bid to claim a first league title in over 30 years faltered in the final weeks of the campaign.

Southern Italy's biggest club last won the league in 1990, when Diego Maradona was still strutting his stuff, and had topped the table on several occasions this season.

However two awful defeats to Fiorentina and Empoli -- and a home draw with Roma -- in April crushed their hopes, even though they are still mathematically in with a shout of the Scudetto.

They are five points behind leaders Inter Milan who claimed top spot on Friday with a come-from-behind 4-2 win over Empoli, but can be finally ruled out of the race by AC Milan on Sunday.

Seven-time European champions Milan are at Verona and will regain the summit with either a win or a draw at the Stadio Bentegodi.

The defeat meant little for Torino, who stay 10th and are playing for pride.

(K.Lüdke--BBZ)