Napoli crush Cagliari, extend Serie A lead

Napoli took advantage of Juventus's postponed match and routed Cagliari 5-0 to open up a four-point lead in Italy's Serie A.

Jose Callejon, Dries Mertens, Marek Hamsik, Lorenzo Insigne and Mario Rui scored as Napoli won their 10th straight league game and remained unbeaten away from home.

Second-placed Juventus had their match against Atalanta postponed due to a snow storm. A new date for the game is yet to be confirmed but is likely to be March 14.

Napoli are chasing their first Serie A title since Diego Maradona led the club to their only two championships in 1987 and 1990.

"We're playing every match as if it's a final," Insigne said.

"It depends on us. We've got to win always from here until the end.

"Juventus isn't giving up, it's a great squad.

"But we showed against Cagliari that we're in form."

Still, it wasn't all straightforward for Napoli at Sardegna Arena.

Cagliari strikers Leonardo Pavoletti, who is on loan from Napoli, and Han Kwang-song were dangerous in the opening half hour.

However, the visitors took control as the game progressed.

Callejon scored on 29 minutes with a crisp first-time shot from an Allan cutback.

Mertens then nipped in ahead of his marker to redirect a cross from Elseid Hysaj into the net.

On 61 minutes Napoli captain Hamsik finished off a counter attack with a rising shot from the edge of the area for his 99th goal in Serie A.

Insigne converted a penalty on 73 minutes and Mario Rui connected with a curling free kick in the 90th to put the icing on the cake.