Gio Simeone buried Roma and made Napoli brighter

José Mourinho’s Roma gives stature this season against good ‘calcio’ teams and today is no exception at the Diego Maradona stadium, but this Naples is unstoppable and, with a great goal from Gio Simoene shortly after jumping on the pitch, achieved a courageous victory (2-1) in which he increased his lead in Serie A to 13 points. With 53 to his credit in 60 games, only a major debacle could prevent the Azzurri from winning their first scudetto since 1990.

Luciano Spalletti, who had embraced Mourinho before the game, recovered from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and the Georgian, who was on in the 4th minute, poured in one of his classic runs and forced Rui Patricio into a display to deny the his whiplash near the post.

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Roma did not fear the drive from Naples and showed a great personality on the field at all times. They even managed to get ahead on the scoreboard with an own goal from Kim (11′). The South Korean centre-back, in a leap with Tammy Abraham, headed back a long ball and miraculously came close to the post when goalkeeper Alex Meret left the goal unguarded by the misguided hope of his start and missed clearance.

Amazing goal from Osimhen

Napoli first reached the quarter hour mark with a fine goal. Kvaratskhelia received deep from Mario Rui and his cross from the right was turned in by Victor Osimhen with a work of art. The Nigerian controlled his chest, then settled the ball with his thigh without letting it fall and fired an unstoppable volley. It was the 14th goal for Serie A’s ‘capocannoniere’.

Roma was not broken, stood up and put on a fierce, fast fight, despite finding the little Paulo Dyabala. Before the break both teams scored. Osimhen headed narrowly wide after Hirving Lozano got down the right and, in injury time, Meret slotted past Leonardo Spinazzola after a pass behind Lorenzo Pellegrini.

Roma came out in the second half determined to tie. Meret avoided it by reflexively denying a header from Bryan Cristante from a corner (61′), but seconds later it was Rui Patricio who made the save on a shell from Lozano.

El Shaarawy draws

Roma’s faith was rewarded with a quarter of an hour remaining when substitute Stephan El Shaarawy popped up at the far post to push Nicola Zalewski’s cross into the net.

Spalletti had to replace his two most unbalanced players, Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen, but Napoli also know how to win without them. Once again, Gio Simeone was determined to come off the bench with another goal worth its weight in gold. The Argentine received Piotr Zielinski with his back to goal and, after rounding a tile, nailed the ball into the top corner.

Roma went down with their heads held high and fell to seventh place, one point behind the Champions League positions, but the excellent game against the leader gave Mourinho a solid argument to achieve the goal of returning to the European elite.

NAPLES

2one

ROME

Naples: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Kim, Mario Rui (Elmas, 69′); Zambo Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski (Ndombélé, 91′); Hirving Lozano (Raspadori, 76′), Osimhen (Gio Simeone, 76′), Kvaratskhelia (Olivera, 69′)
The
Rome: Rui Patricio; Mancini, Smalling (Tahirovic, 83′), Ibáñez; Zalewski, Cristante (Volpato, 89′), Matic, Spinazzola (El Shaarawy, 46′); Dybala, Pellegrini (Bove, 83′); Abraham (Belotti, 73′)
The
Goals: 1-0 Osimhen (17′), 1-1 El Shaarawy (75′), 2-1 Simeone (86′)

Referee: Daniele Orsato. Yellow cards: Dybala (34′), Osimhen (68′), El Shaarawy (70′)

Spectators: 50,000 at Diego Armando Maradona

see the match sheet