Napoli s Georgian forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (L) fights for the ball with Lecce s Icelandic midfielder Thorir Johann Helgason (R) during the Italian Serie A football match between Lecce and Napoli at the Via del Mare stadium in Lecce on April 7, 2023. Photo: AFP
Runaway league leaders Napoli are 19 points clear of closest challengers Lazio after Gallo's unwitting backpass slipped through the fingers of surprised Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone midway through the second half at the Stadio Via del Mare.
The hosts had been deservedly level with Napoli after Federico Di Francesco's powerfully struck finish cancelled out Giovanni Di Lorenzo's 18th-minute header.
Di Francesco's second league goal of the season was his team's first since mid-February and had a tired-looking Napoli at risk of slipping to another defeat after being hammered by champions AC Milan last weekend.
Instead Lecce stay eight points above the relegation zone in 16th while Napoli take another step towards a historic Scudetto without the league's top scorer Victor Osimhen.
Nigeria forward Osimhen might be back for the first leg of Napoli's all-Italian quarter-final with third-placed Milan, but look to have lost his replacement Giovanni Simeone to injury.
As it stands Luciano Spalletti's team only need four more wins from their final nine matches to secure the title but they will need a better display if they are to combine domestic success with passage to the Champions League last four.
That target will get smaller if Lazio fail to beat Juventus, although it will be all change if Juve have their 15-point penalty for illicit transfer activity revoked later this month.
Juve are 11 points behind Lazio ahead of their clash at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday night.
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