Napoli hanging on, Milan and Inter get closer
Published on : Modified :
Rome (AFP) – The leader Naples, picked up at the end by Sassuolo (2-2), has only one point ahead of AC Milan (2nd), clear winner of Genoa (3-0), and two on the ‘Inter Milan (3rd), easy against Spezia (2-0), Wednesday during the 15th day of Serie A.
Now out of the Top 4, six points behind Atalanta (4th), Roma (5th) lost to Bologna (1-0) which continues to play spoilers, staying in contact with the Fiorentina (6th) and Juventus (7th).
Naples have done the hardest when Dries Mertens, responsible for forgetting the absent Victor Osimhen at the tip, twice cracked the defense of the Neroverdi.
The Belgian leprechaun first sacrificed himself to intercept a ball, just in front of the surface, which Fabian Ruiz (51st) took advantage of, then he concluded a nice movement on a service from Piotr Zielinski (58th).
But Sassuolo hung on. And after reducing the mark on a strong strike from Gianluca Scamacca (71st), the Neroverdi snatched the equalizer by Gian Marco Ferrari from the head (89th).
They even came very close to the feat, being refused a but in added time for a foul by Domenico Berardi, signaled by video assistance!
“When Sassuolo reacted with force, at 2-0, we failed to turn the ball and lost balls that were too easy,” regretted the Neapolitan coach Luciano Spelletti, excluded at the end of the match for protest.
This zero profit in Milan, winner with the manner of Genoa, recorded by the ex-star striker of the Rossoneri, Andriy Shevchenko.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic found the loophole on his first opportunity, a full ax free kick that left his ex-teammate of Paris SG, Salvatore Sirigu (10th) far from the ball.
Double of Messias
But then it was Junior Messias who shone with a superb double (head in the 45th + 2, hit flush with the post in the 61st), a week after his Champions League goal against Atlético Madrid.
The 30-year-old Brazilian, who arrived late in Serie A, has “the right qualities but also the characteristics of the different players we had”, his coach Stefano Pioli said.
The injury of defender Simon Kjaer (knee) tarnished the evening of the Rossoneri, who defended with authority their second place coveted by Inter.
Simone Inzaghi’s players, undefeated for ten matches in all competitions, previously had La Spezia, led by ex-Intériste Thiago Motta, thanks to a biting Lautaro Martinez.
Roberto Gagliardini, established to blow Nicolo Barella, opened the scoring (36th) by taking advantage of a heel of the Argentine “toro”, who then doubled the penalty (58th).
“Inter must continue like this, we play games without defeat, but in front of them running, nobody stops,” Simone Inzaghi stressed a lot on DAZN.
Before their trip to Madrid to compete with Real for first place in their group in C1, the Nerazzurri are expected on Saturday at the Stadio Olimpico. They will find a tense Roma there after his defeat in Bologna, on a nice strike from Mattias Svanberg (35th).
Despite several occasions, Giallorrossi did not know how to come back, to the chagrin of José Mourinho, very annoyed at three days to find the club he had brought back to a historic triple in 2010.
© 2021 AFP