Napoli left Marassi with all three points after first-half goals by Frank Zambo Anguissa and Amir Rrahmani secured a 2-1 win over Genoa.
The Azzurri took the lead on the quarter-hour mark when Anguissa climbed highest to connect with David Neres' cross and head into the net.
A few minutes later it was 2-0 thanks to another header as Rrahmani got up to meet a delivery put in by Stanislav Lobotka.
Andrea Pinamonti halved the deficit soon after the start of the second half to give the hosts renewed hope and they set about finding an equaliser. However, Alex Meret was in fine form, pulling off a series of big saves to keep the scoreline intact and help claim a crucial victory.
Afterwards Antonio Conte said it was the proverbial game of two halves:
“I'm very happy with our first-half performance as we were in complete control. In the second half we let them back into the game and at a stadium with an atmosphere like this you expect to encounter difficulties.
“As I said, I'm very pleased with the first half but we need to imprint that second half in our heads because we can't open up a match again when it's already won and we mustn't play with that sort of attitude.
“We have to defend by attacking. If we take our foot off the accelerator, we hand the initiative to our opponents and that means switching off and possibly kicking ourselves at the end. I repeat, I didn't like anything about the second half today. We were lucky to come away with three points. On another day we could have got a different result.
“We must learn from this performance because if you're smart you can build on games like this. You won't get very far if you only think about the result and don't take anything else away from it. I warned the team at half time but we still let them back into a game that was wrapped up. I have some clever lads so I'm sure they'll learn the lesson we could have been given today.”
Frank Anguissa was on the score sheet for the second game running having found the net in Udine.
“The main thing today was winning,” the midfielder commented. “If I can score and help us get three points, then we're all happy. We showed character and kept fighting together until the end.
“It was a team victory and one we had to work really hard for. You need that sort of mentality in come out on top in intensely fought games like this and we managed it.”
Amir Rrahmani scored what ultimately proved to be the winning goal.
“I got my head to it before the defender and I think it's my goal, although the box was quite crowded. I think we produced possibly our best first-half performance of the season but Genoa pulled one back at the start of the second and it became difficult.
“The boss is right when he says we re-opened a match that we were in control of. We have to learn from this and be more determined in possession. We must keep playing the way we have been the last few months and remain consistent throughout the season.”
Genoa 1-2 Napoli (HT 0-2)
Scorers: Anguissa 15, Rrahmani 23, Pinamonti 51.
GENOA: Leali; Sabelli (Norton-Cuffy 79), Bani, Vasquez, Martin, Frendrup, Badelj (Thorsby 70), Miretti (Balotelli 83), Zanoli, Pinamonti, Vitinha (Ekuban 70).
Coach: Vieira.
NAPOLI: Meret, Di Lorenzo, Juan Jesus, Rrahmani, Olivera, Lobotka, Anguissa, McTominay, Politano (Spinazzola 83), Neres (Kvaratskhelia 73), Lukaku (Simeone 73).
Coach: Conte.
Referee: La Penna.
Booked: Juan Jesus, Sabelli, Frendrup.
