Global Courant 2023-04-30 20:38:31
Mathias Olivera’s goal was his second of the season
Napoli will have to wait for their first Serie A title in 33 years after being held to a draw by Salernitana at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
They last won the league in 1990 with a Diego Maradona-inspired side who contributed to their first title three years earlier.
Luciano Spalletti’s side were on course for the victory they needed when Mathias Olivera headed in a corner in the 62nd minute.
But Boulaye Dia equalized six minutes from time with a left-footed drive.
It silenced an expectant crowd that made a cacophony of noise and sent blue smoke flares inside and outside the stadium, where thousands of fans lined the streets as Napoli led the way.
Despite the disappointment, Spalletti’s side are all but certain of the title, needing just two points from their last six games to secure a third Serie A title – and the first without talisman Maradona.
Without the Argentine striker at the club, Napoli have won just five Italian Cups in 89 years.
Their next chance to secure the title comes when they head to Udinese on Thursday (19:45 BST), but they could win it before then if the results are good.
Second-placed Lazio, 18 points behind, must beat Sassuolo on Wednesday (20:00 BST), while Juventus, 20 points behind third with a game in hand, must win later on Sunday ( 19:45 BST) and on Wednesdays.
Football focus: Napoli are about to end a 33-year wait for the Serie A title
Napoli had a chance to clinch the title with a record six games left after beating Lazio 3-1 at Inter Milan earlier on Sunday.
Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez came off the bench to score twice and help Inter recover from a 1-0 deficit.
Napoli’s game was supposed to take place on Saturday, but was moved by officials due to concerns about a two-day party and public order in the city.
Sunday morning and early afternoon saw thousands of Napoli fans wave flags and fire flares as anticipation grew, especially after Lazio’s defeat.
The stadium itself, which Napoli renamed Maradona two years ago, was packed 30 minutes before kick-off as fans hoped their three-decade wait was coming to an end.
The hosts dominated possession throughout, but struggled to create chances until Olivera headed in a corner from Giacomo Raspadori.
Wild celebrations ensued – with the substitution bench streaming across the field to join in – as the ball was taken off the field by the referee and placed in a velvet bag, in case it became part of history.
The equalizer, with Dia beating Victor Osimhen on the right wing before firing into the far corner, brought silence, but it would only be a matter of days before Naples can properly celebrate and wipe away years of pain.
Thousands of Napoli fans lined the streets for kick-offSome fans arrived at the ground in a Napoli-branded carDespite Napoli looking confident of winning the Serie A title, some were still dejected full-timeBut the vast majority of Napoli fans waved their flags full-time, knowing the title may be just days away
Setups
Naples
Formation 4-3-3
1Meret
22Di Lorenzo13Rrahmani3Kim Min Jae17Olivera
99Zambo Angussa68Lobotka20Zielinski
11Lozano9Osimhen77Kvaratskhelia
1Meret22Di Lorenzo13Rrahmani3Kim Min Jae17OliveraBooked at 71 minutesSubstituted forNunes Jesusbee 82′minutes99Zambo AngussaSubstituted forNdombelebee 90′minutes68LobotkaSubstituted forSimeonebee 89′minutes20ZielinskiBooked at 55 minutesSubstituted forRaspadoribee 60′minutes11LozanoSubstituted forElmasbee 60′minutes9Osimhen77Kvaratskhelia
Substitutes
4Dem5Nunes Jesus7Elmas12marfella18Simeone19Bereszynski23Zerbin31Zedadka55Østigard70Gaetano81Raspadori91Ndombele95Gollini
Salernitana
Formation 3-4-2-1
13Ochoa
5daniliuc23Gyomber98Pirola
30Mazzocchi10Vilhena18Coulibaly3Bradarian
20cabinets87Candreva
29Slide
13Ochoa5daniliucBooked at 73 minutesSubstituted forLovatobee 86′minutes23Gyomber98PirolaBooked at 75 minutes30MazzocchiSubstituted forSambiabee 68′minutes10VilhenaSubstituted forPiatekbee 68′minutes18Coulibaly3BradarianSubstituted forBohinenbee 68′minutes20cabinets87CandrevaSubstituted forBotheimbee 45′minutes29Slide
Substitutes
1Fiorillo2Bronn6Sambia8Bohinen9Bonazzoli11Botheim15Comfort-Ekong25maggiore33Sep39Iervolino41Nicholas Caviglia66Lovato99Piatek
Live text
Match ends, Napoli 1, Salernitana 1.
Second Half ends, Napoli 1, Salernitana 1.
Foul by Victor Osimhen (Napoli).
Norbert Gyömbér (Salernitana) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Delay over. They are ready to move on.
Delay in match because of an injury Grigoris Kastanos (Salernitana).
Attempt blocked. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Giacomo Raspadori.
Missed attempt. Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left.
Tanguy Ndombélé (Napoli) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Emil Bohinen (Salernitana).
Attempt saved. Amir Rrahmani (Napoli) header saved by the keeper! Attempt saved from the center of the box in the top left corner. Assisted by Giacomo Raspadori with a cross.
Corner, Naples. Conceded by Guillermo Ochoa.
Attempt saved. Giovanni Simeone (Napoli) right footed shot from the keeper! Attempt saved from the right side of the goal area in the top right corner. Assisted by Giacomo Raspadori with a header.
Attempt blocked. Victor Osimhen (Napoli) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Juan Jesus (Napoli) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Krzysztof Piatek (Salernitana).
Missed attempt. Erik Botheim (Salernitana) header from the center of the box is too high. Assisted by Boulaye Dia.
Replacement, Naples. Tanguy Ndombele replaces André-Frank Zambo Anguissa.
Replacement, Naples. Giovanni Simeone replaces Stanislav Lobotka.
Corner, Naples. Conceded by Lorenzo Pirola.
