When two of the best attacking units in Serie A collided as Napoli metRoma on Sunday, it was their defences who were on top in a 0-0 stalemate at the San Paolo.
Having managed 60 goals between them in their combined 30 league matches so far this season, goals were expected but in truth, clear cut chances were few and far between on a crisp Campania evening.
The result leaves Napoli three points ahead of their capital city rivals in the Serie A standings and also means they remain four behind table-toppers Inter.
Aside from a few early jitters, there was no glaring sense of Roma’s deficiencies in the Derby del Sole’s initial feeling out process, as they squeezed out the space for the hosts and didn’t allow them to move freely in possession.
The usual early onslaught and dizzying tempo that Napoli have started many games this season with was lacking, as both Jorginho and Marek Hamsik were slightly off with their final ball when goal chances beckoned for the Partenopei.
Lorenzo Insigne and Kostas Manolas both blasted chances off target at either end as the match began to open up into its second quarter but the Napoli forward’s decision making continued to frustrate his teammates as the half wore on, shooting from the acutest of angles on more than one occasion.
So despite plenty of endeavour, the real eye-catching moment of the first half turned out to be seven minutes from the end, when the main stand side linesman was forced off with an injury after pulling up as he tried to track a far post run from Higuain.
After the restart, the Argentine was caught on his heels after Faouzi Ghoulam sent a sublime low ball across the face of goal and on the hour mark, the best chance of the match arrived when Marek Hamsik was played in on the left by Higuain but he dragged his shot inches wide of the far post.
The Slovakian was denied by Wojciech Szczesny in a late flurry of action that also saw Dries Mertens’ penalty appeals waved away and Daniele De Rossi see his headed goal ruled out after the referee ruled that Antonio Rudiger’s cross exited the field of play before curling back in as the sides were forced to settle for a point apiece, with Roma the more relieved after Omar El Kaddouri shinned wide in injury time from five yards.
Napoli’s next game see them take on northern rivals Hellas Verona at the Stadio San Paolo in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday, the same day that Roma entertain Spezia.
nguon: gazzettaworld.gazzetta
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