Napoli defeated Roma to take a 13-point lead in Serie A
Serie A leaders Napoli defeated AS Roma 2-1 in an exciting game at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Sunday evening.
With both AC Milan and Juventus losing earlier in the day, Napoli took full advantage as the result left them 13 points ahead of second-placed Inter Milan at the top of the table.
Osimhen stunner
The Partenopei started off as the better of the two sides and settled in with their fluid attacking approach and possession-based play.
Roma barely had the ball in the first quarter and were rightly punished in the 17e minute when Victor Osimhen put the hosts ahead with a sensational volley.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia played a quick one-two with Mario Rui before firing the ball into the far post; Osimhen went chest first, held his thigh in the air and then thundered an unstoppable volley past Rui Patricio into the Roma goal.
It was the Nigerian’s 14the goal in the league this season.
It took Roma almost 45 minutes to get their first shot on target as Alex Meret saved Leonardo Spinazzola’s forced effort towards the Napoli goal.
Mourinho’s side dominated the game after the restart as the introduction of Stephan El Shaarawy on the left left Napoli in trouble.
Napoli were far from their best, but the hosts should have gone 2-0 in the 55e minute Kvaratskhelia had not wasted a golden opportunity after being played through by Hirving Lozano.
The Georgian got a heavy first touch and the chance was gone.
Roma had the lion’s share of the ball and Meret kept his side in the lead again with a superb save from a Bryan Cristante header in the 62nd minute.
Ten minutes later, however, the Giallorossi were level when El Shaarawy found himself offside and snuck past Lozano’s far post to haul in Nicola Zalewski’s cross from the right wing.
Late winner
When it looked like the game was going to end in a draw, Giovanni Simeone scored the winning goal in the 86th minute with a stunning left-footed curler in the penalty area.
Roma threw it all in the last few minutes, but Napoli held on for a famous win and halted their rivals’ five-match unbeaten run.
Luciano Spalletti’s side is on 53 points from 20 games, and it’s undoubtedly their title to lose as they look for a first Scudetto in nearly three decades.
Photo credit: IMAGO / Uk Sports Pics Ltd
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