Napoli 1-1 AS Roma
From the moment kick-off was delayed by seven minutes (when a technical hitch delayed the working of VAR) to the last seconds of the encounter, this high-profile Serie A clash made for compelling viewing for Sbobet fans.
Yet just when it looked like the Giallorossi would hold out under siege for a barely deserved win, substitute Dries Mertens pounced to earn his side a share of the spoils.
Until that point it was hard to believe Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli boasted the second most prolific attack in the League, having scored 18 goals in just nine games, as chance after chance went begging.
A point apiece then but all this result really does is play into the hands of the leaders and defending champions Juventus who now have a six-point advantage at the summit and are firm title favourites with Serie A 2018 betting odds.
Highlights of the game
There was no doubt this fixture had the potential to produce some of the leading Serie A 2018 highlights with two giants of Italian football bidding for bragging rights.
It’s so often provided goals and entertainment in abundance in recent times and a repeat was forecast.
The Romans were beaten for the third time in just nine Serie A games in a shock home defeat to SPAL last weekend and had lost three out of four away games in all competitions.
The pair were notably absent from Friday’s assembly to approve Roma’s budget and, in an explosive segment by Palma, the shareholder accused Pallotta’s board of not performing well enough and Monchi for wasting money on Javier Pastore and Patrik Schick in particular, while hitting out at the club’s policy on young players.
Amidst that backdrop, there was certainly some pressure on boss Eusebio Di Francesco when this kicked off.
The match actually began before the VAR problem was fully resolved.
After 12 minutes it was back, however, and just in the nick of time to witness the opening goal.
It was first blood to Roma as Cengiz Under burst down the right and found Edin Dzeko who may have glanced the ball on but, either way, it made its way to Stephan El Shaarawy who – on the weekend he was celebrating his birthday – scuffed the ball in via the post.
Fourteen minutes in, it was the exact start Napoli didn’t want.
After successive home defeats against the Giallorossi, they were keen to exact revenge at the Stadio San Paolo and only seven minutes had elapsed when Fabian Ruiz got the better of three defenders but made a mistake by electing to play in Lorenzo Insigne instead of shooting, allowing Kostas Manolas to clear.
Then, after the opener, Arkadiusz Milik stung Robin Olsen’s gloves who beat away Marek Hamsik’s drive on a milestone evening for the Slovakian international.
Both players went close again as Roma, missing the injured Pastore, Justin Kluivert, Diego Perotti, were second best.
The San Paolo crowd would have been silenced had Dzeko not been denied by a headed goal-line clearance from Raul Albiol.
But it was otherwise one-way traffic and somehow Roma (who lost the returning Daniele De Rossi to injury before the break) still led at the break as the busy Olsen kept out Malik again.
The pattern of the match in Naples continued after the break with Olsen called into action to palm away a Jose Callejon pull-back and then diverting another pull-back from the same player onto the post.
Six goals in eight Serie A games had seen Insigne recapture his keen eye for goal, already within touching distance of the disappointing eight league goals he scored last season, but even he was not at the races here, blasting over from 12 yards and then firing high again.
When Callejon was flagged offside after converting a Mertens through ball, and then Mertens also had the ball in the net but was offside, Napoli must have feared the worst.
Yet they kept going and after a miskick from Callejon, Mertens earned the hosts the very least they deserved – even though the Belgian looked incredibly frustrated at full-time following a match they dominated.
Key Statistics
Ancelotti played 222 games for Roma from 1979-87, scoring 16 goals.
This match saw Hamsik match the all-time record of 511 Napoli games, equalling the club record set by former right-back Bruscolotti, who represented the club from 1972 to his retirement in 1988.
The Slovakia international has scored 100 Serie A goals and is within reach of Atilla Sallustro’s record of 106 for Napoli, which has lasted since 1937.
He has been described as an ‘exemplary professional’ and his agent has brushed off suggestions he may leave the club in January.
Top of Form
What’s next?
Napoli host Empoli next Friday night (November 2) and then welcome Paris St Germain to Naples for their return Champions League tie.
It’s then a trip to Genoa before the international break.
Roma meet Fiorentina in Florence (November 3) and CSKA Moscow in the Champions League to complete a trio of away games before Sampdoria visit the Italian capital on November 11.
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