Napoli-Roma 1-1, Insigne scored (penalty) and El Shaarawy

From our correspondent Massimo Cecchini

April 18
– NAPLES

Notice to the championship: Napoli still pays the kryptonite of the “Maradona” and thus draws a match that perhaps permanently distances him from the Scudetto. Also thanks to a solid Rome, which reaches a draw in the usual grand final, just enough to sanctify a 1-1 signed by Insigne on a penalty and El Shaarawy, allowing the Giallorossi to lock down fifth place for now and keep the flame of the area alive Champions, thanks to the 12th consecutive useful result.

INSIGNE GOAL

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At the start Spalletti chooses to focus on 4-3-3, with Lozano and Insigne on the sides of Osimhen, while in the median are Fabian Ruiz and Anguissa to court Lobotka, who also protects Rrahmani and Koulibaly in front of the defense, while on the flanks it’s up to Zanoli and Mario Rui to push. The result that comes out gives the keys to the match to the Neapolitans, who force the Giallorossi into their own half. Thus Zaniolo and Abraham find themselves isolated from Pellegrini’s supplies, crushed on Oliveira and Cristante in the median. It goes without saying that Karsdorp and Zalewski have little space to push and so the super-work is up to the defense, centered on Smalling, with Mancini and Ibanez on their sides. However, there are few real opportunities, because Napoli already passes on 11 ‘thanks to a penalty awarded by the Var for a foul in the area by Ibanez on Lozano which took place four minutes earlier. In short, a not-so-quick management of a story that the blue captain concludes by beating Rui Patricio. From that moment the hosts chose to manage the dribble, going to the dangerous conclusion only on 20 ‘with Osimhen (countered) and Lozano (rejected by Rui Patricio). For the rest, little to report, given that Rome only rarely raises the pressure and becomes dangerous only with a bucking from Zaniolo, anesthetized at the last moment, and above all with two chances at the end of the time. At 39 ‘in fact, on a free-kick beaten by Pellegrini, it is Osimhen who heads off on his own crossbar. Then there is time to note a good bucking on baby Zalewski, which engages Meret in a parade on the ground.

THE SCRATCH OF THE PHARAOH

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In the second half Mourinho launches Mkhitaryan to give the team a greater offensive vocation. After Mancini deflects a shot from Osimhen well, the game falls asleep for a while. It’s up to Lobotka’s injury to change the set-up, with Zielinski taking his place, but making Fabian Ruiz climb in front of the defense. At 15 ‘the thrill is all for Napoli, as Abraham misses his head on a nice cross from Karsdorp. Six minutes later, on a free-kick from Pellegrini, Mancini touched the header. The blues begin to mess around in setting up, the teams get longer and Roma grow. Spalletti, then, takes out Fabian Ruiz and Lozano for Demme and Elmas. Three shots from the limit, from 25 ‘to 28’, wake up Napoli: two are by Zielinski and the other by Elmas, but Rui Patricio is always careful. Roma also changes, launching Veretout and El Shaarawy. The Giallorossi increase the pressure and in the 31st minute Meret has to avalanche Zaniolo, provoking the protests of the Roma bench, with the expulsion of the second goalkeeper Fuzato. In the prairies that open a nice counterattack from Osimhen, at 35 ‘, is concluded with a shot on the outside of the net. Spalletti changes again. The Nigerian and Insigne come out for Mertens and Juan Jesus, moving on to the three-man defense. Mourinho responds by inserting Perez for Mancini, turning to a four-man rear. Zaniolo gets hurt and then it’s time for Felix too. The inertia is all Giallorossi and so comes the equal, born from a throw of Pellegrini and touched by Abraham for the benefit of the necessary El Shaarawy, who electrocutes Meret. In the 8 minutes of recovery, it is even Rome that comes closest to the bang, with a header from Pellegrini saved by Meret. It ends like this, with some whistles to the Neapolitans and also Spalletti. Nothing serious, if not the dream that goes away. In the end, the party belongs only to Rome.