Napoli-Roma 2-1: goals from Osimhen, El Shaarawy and Simeone

by our correspondent Vincenzo D’Angelo

January 29th
– NAPLES

A flash of an Argentinian in the temple of Maradona. A flash, when the 1-1 draw appears to have been written, and the history of the championship could have been addressed definitively. Simeone enters and scores, with his left foot at the crossroads, as Maradona did and in Diego’s temple. In his city, the one that Cholito had chosen and waited for in the summer, to experience evenings like this. Napoli’s 2-1 win over Roma certifies yet another escape from Spalletti’s team, +13 ahead of second-placed Inter. It’s not over, of course, but go and explain to those chasing that there are still hopes for the title. Roma are bitter: a point would have helped in the Champions League race, for the standings and for morale. And instead the party is only in Naples: nothing but a dream, the Scudetto – now – everyone is talking about it.

OSIMHEN MASTERPIECE

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Mourinho tries to turn off the light in Naples right away, placing Pellegrini on the three-quarter man over Lobotka. And the results can be seen, with the Azzurri struggling to impose the dribble and being attacked high by Roma. The first ring is from Kvaratskhelia from outside, easily caught by Rui Patricio. Then Napoli risked the gollonzo (12′): on a bell tower, Meret comes out but Kim anticipates him all the same by sending the ball towards the empty goal, but the ball just grazes the post. Five minutes later Napoli opens the game with Osimhen: Zielinski and Mario Rui build, Kvara draws the Nigerian who between Smalling and Ibanez he puts his chest down, dribbles with his thigh and strikes Rui Patricio on the fly. Technique, power and sense of goal, the manual of the perfect center forward in three seconds. The rest of the first half is shocks and tension, with the emotions arriving in the final. Lozano (45 ‘) shoots to the right but Osimhen doesn’t find the goal by turning his head. Roma nearly equalized in the 47th minute: high pressure, ball stolen from Kim, Pellegrini from the bottom of the bowl for Spinazzola who volleys and super Meret saves the leaders in a dive.

CHESS RACE

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Roma are more offensive after the interval, with El Shaarawy for Spinazzola on the left. The first potential opportunity, however, is blue: Lozano goes right and serves Kvara in the heart of the area, but the Georgian prefers control to the first serve and loses time and ball. Roma’s response comes with a high shot from Zalewski. But Roma are there and are pushing, taking advantage of their ability to play in the air. Meret (14′) is miraculous on Cristante’s spike, then Ibanez is blocked from a good position in the scrum. Napoli lights up with a poisonous restart from Lozano, who sins of selfishness and instead of serving free Kvaratskhelia goes to a personal conclusion, cornered by Rui Patricio.

THE GOLD FROM THE BENCH

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Roma put pressure on, Napoli struggled to restart and the draw came in the half hour: Zalewski fished EL Shaarawy at the far post, Lozano fell asleep and Pharaoh stamped the 1-1. Spalletti tries to fish from the bench and inserts Raspadori and Simeone for Lozano and Osimhen and it is the move that blows up the bank and makes Maradona explode in the 41st minute, when Raspadori finds the corridor for Cholito who receives in the area with his back to goal, he turns and with his left foot sends the ball into the top corner. Raspadori tries again in the first stoppage time, but Rui Patricio saves with his foot. Maradona is a bedlam, the ending is suffering and adrenaline. Napoli suffers and wins, but even so they win the championships. Maradona sings: “the leaders are leaving”. Maybe, this time, definitely.