Sampdoria 2-4 Napoli

Napoli's Higuain is the top scorer in Serie A this season

Serie A leaders Napoli remain top after holding off a spirited Sampdoria side to earn their fifth successive league win.

Maurizio Sarri's side, who are chasing a first Scudetto since 1990, completely controlled the match throughout.

Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain fired the visitors ahead with his 21st league goal of the season after pouncing on Edgar Barreto's sloppy backpass.

Sampdoria midfielder Barreto then conceded a penalty which allowed Lorenzo Insigne to double Napoli's lead from the spot.

The visitors continued to slice open the home defence regularly without adding a third, allowing Sampdoria to halve the deficit on the verge of half-time when Joaquin Correa stroked in Carlos Carbonero's square pass.

Diego Maradona - here challenging Milan's Carlo Ancelotti - was playing for Napoli the last time they won the Italian league title

But the hosts' task was made even harder when veteran full-back Mattia Cassani was sent off for a second booking just before the hour.

Within seconds they suffered further punishment, Napoli skipper Marek Hamsik weaving his way through the defence and poking in his fourth goal in four league matches for a 3-1 lead.

Sampdoria again moved back within a goal when Eder headed in Ricardo Alvarez's cross, only for Belgium midfielder Dries Mertens to drill in the fourth for Napoli.

Second-placed Juventus kept pace with the leaders by beating Roma in Turin later on Sunday.

Elsewhere in Serie A

Champions League-chasing Inter Milan were held to a 1-1 home draw as substitute Kevin Lasagna earned 10-man Carpi a late draw.

The striker, who was playing amateur football less than two years ago, scored a stoppage-time equaliser as Inter dropped to fourth.

Roberto Mancini's side were leapfrogged by Fiorentina, who responded to back-to-back defeats with a 2-0 win over Torino.

But, despite goals from Josip Ilicic and Gonzalo Rodriguez, they remain six points adrift of leaders Napoli.