POINTS SHARED AT MARADONA
Serie A
The big game on Serie A matchday 10, between Napoli and AC Milan, ended 2-2. It was a game of two halves at the Maradona, played at a high tempo and with plenty of drama. A first-half brace from an inspired Olivier Giroud had us in the lead at the break before the hosts drew level in the second half through Politano and Raspadori. Breakneck speed and attacking football were the order of the day as both sides created a raft of chances. The Rossoneri approached the game with determination, managing the pace of the game and possession of the football in the first half but couldn't strike the final blow and the Azzurri equalised from two goals down.
Both sides could've claimed the full package of points in a lively finish to proceedings but the draw was probably the right result on balance following the 90 minutes of football in Naples. The absences of Thiaw and Kjær, compounded by an early injury to Kalulu, saw Marco Pellegrino come on to make his AC Milan debut. At the same time, Pioli got Maignan and Hernández back too. The Rossoneri have now extended their unbeaten away run against Napoli, as they are without a defeat in six games in all competitions on the Partenopei's turf. They also looked creative going forward, rediscovering their eye for goal. Up next for AC Milan, it's Udinese at home next Saturday night. Forza ragazzi!
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM NAPOLI v AC MILAN
MATCH REPORT
Straight from the off and AC Milan had the game's first chance: Giroud picked up the ball from Natan’s block and turned it towards goal, but his shot was deflected behind off Rrahmani for a corner (2'). After a fast start, the two sides tried to work each other out and build out from the back patiently. In the meantime, Pellegrino came on to replace Kalulu. In the 22nd minute, the Rossoneri broke the deadlock: Pulisic cut back inside down the right and crossed in for Giroud, who steered his header past Meret to score. Napoli nearly equalised on 27', when Politano failed to hit the target from close range, following Kvaratskhelia’s inviting low cross. AC Milan continued to push forward and it was Giroud again who got his and the Rossoneri’s second, nodding home into the bottom corner on 31' following Calabria’s lovely deft cross into the box. The visitors came close to grabbing a third in the closing stages of the half: Reijnders fired over, found by Theo in the box after 41', and then Musah’s low drive was saved by Meret (50'). 2-0 at the break.
Lots of changes were made by the home side at the interval, and it paid dividends as they got back into the game through Politano’s powerful left-footed effort, after some good individual play (50'). The match flew into gear: on the counter, Hernández failed to connect well from Leão’s assist on 56', and two minutes later Maignan cut out Di Lorenzo’s dangerous ball in. Just after the hour mark, though, Napoli found the equaliser from a Raspadori free-kick that surprised the Rossoneri shot-stopper, who was slightly unsighted by the wall. The away team responded, putting the Azzurri under pressure through Leão’s well-struck right-footed effort after 67 minutes and Pellegrino’s header, saved by Meret. Napoli went down to ten men a minute from the end of normal time, with Natan being shown a red card. AC Milan rushed forward and Calabria came ever so close to grabbing the winning goal, but his header, following Jović’s cross, fell the wrong side of the post on 91'. With the last kick of the game, Maignan kept out Kvaratskhelia at the back post and it ended 2-2.
MATCH DETAILS
NAPOLI 2-2 AC MILAN
NAPOLI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani (46' Østigård), Natan, Mário Rui (46' Olivera); Elmas (46' Simeone), Lobotka, Zieliński (77' Anguissa); Politano (83' Zanoli), Raspadori, Kvaratskhelia. Subs: Gollini, Contini; D'Avino; Cajuste, Demme, Gaetano; Lindstrøm, Zerbin. Coach: Garcia.
AC MILAN (4-3-3): Maignan; Calabria, Kalulu (19' Pellegrino (87' Florenzi)), Tomori, Hernández; Musah, Krunić, Reijnders; Pulisic (46' Romero), Giroud (80' Okafor), Leão (80' Jović). Subs: Mirante, Nava; Bartesaghi; Adli, Pobega. Coach: Pioli.
Referee: Orsato from Schio.
Goals: 22' Giroud (M), 31' Giroud (M), 50' Politano (N), 63' Raspadori (N).
Booked: 53' Natan (N), 55' Reijnders (M), 62' Romero (M), 65' Di Lorenzo (N), 78' Musah (M), 86' Zanoli (N).
Sent off: 89' Natan (N).
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