NAPLES (ITALPRESS) – Napoli overcame AC Milan 2-1 in Sunday’s postponement and remained largely in the race for the Scudetto. It was Politano and Lukaku who put their signatures on a victory that matured in the first half, with Jovic sealing the only Rossoneri goal in the closing stages of the second half after Meret had stopped Gimenez’s finish from the penalty spot.
The partenopei needed just over a minute to find the 1-0 lead. From the right, Di Lorenzo serves Politano deep, who takes advantage of a defensive misunderstanding between Hernandez and Pavlovic to slip between the two and beat Maignan with his left. On the quarter-hour mark, a heel volley deflection by Anguissa off a Politano cross-shot goes out not far to the goalkeeper’s left. The doubling came on 19′. The visitors lost the ball on the way out, Gilmour retrieved it and served Lukaku into the box, who was lost by the opposing centerbacks and pierced Maignan with his left foot for 2-0. Three minutes later, Anguissa tries with a right-footed shot from outside but the French extreme defender lifts it into the corner. The Rossoneri reaction is rather timid and the hosts do not struggle to manage the double advantage until halftime. Conceicao immediately puts in Leao, who was initially left on the bench.
The first breakthrough by the 7-time European champions came in 14′, when the Portuguese broke through on the left and served Pulisic in the center, who in turn spread for the other newcomer Gimenez, who, however, shot high with his left from the edge of the area. On 24′, Maignan and his teammates got themselves a great chance when Hernandez was landed in the box by Billing, earning a penalty kick. From the penalty spot came Gimenez, but he kicked poorly and was hypnotized by Meret. Pavlovic is one of the last to give up and at 34′ goes for a shot from distance, but Meret lifts it over the crossbar. The Rossoneri push and at 39′ shorten the distance. Hernandez asks for and gets a triangle from Leao, enters the area and serves the newly entered Jovic in the center, who puts the tip of his right foot in and slips the ball behind Meret. The Serbian striker is on the ball and, in the midst of the recovery, goes for a conclusion from the edge with his right but the ball goes out about a meter to the left of the post. It will be the last chance of the match, with the result not changing again.
Thanks to this victory, Napoli climbs to 64 points, moving back to within three points of leaders Inter. For Milan, stuck in ninth place at 47, the road to Europe becomes increasingly uphill.
IL TABELLINO
NAPLES (4-3-3): Meret 7.5; Di Lorenzo 7, Rrahmani 6.5, Buongiorno 6.5, Olivera 7; Gilmour 7, Lobotka 6.5 (36’st Juan Jesus sv), Anguissa 6.5 (20’st Billing 5); Politano 7.5 (40’st Ngonge sv), Lukaku 7.5 (40’st Simeone sv), Neres 6.5 (40’st Mazzocchi sv). On the bench: Scuffet, Turi, Esposito, Marin, Hasa, Okafor, Raspadori. Coach: Conte 6.5.
MILAN (4-2-3-1): Maignan 6; Walker 5 (34’st Jimenez sv), Gabbia 5, Pavlovic 5, Hernandez 6.5; Bondo 5.5 (1’st Leao 6.5), Fofana 5; Pulisic 5 (34’st Jovic 7), Reijnders 5.5, Joao Felix 5 (10’st Chukwueze 6); Abraham 5 (10’st Gimenez 5). On the bench: Sportiello, Torriani, Florenzi, Terracciano, Thiaw, Tomori, Sottil. Coach: Conceicao 5.5.
REFEREE: Sozza of Seregno 6.
RETIREES: 2’pt Politano, 19’pt Lukaku, 39’st Jovic.
NOTES: clear skies, field in good condition. In 24’st Meret saves a penalty kick to Gimenez. Cautions: Lukaku, Jimenez, Conceicao (all), Conte (all). Corners 2-6. Recovered: 2′, 5′.
– IPA Agency photo –
(ITALPRESS).
