Napoli 1-1 Lazio: League Leaders’ Winning Streak Expires at The Maradona

Napoli and Lazio played out an entertaining draw at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Serie A’s early Sunday kickoff.

Massimiliano Allegri is without several key Napoli players, so he opted for a 3-5-1-1 formation spearheaded by Rasmus Hojlund, with Noa Lang behind him. Kevin De Bruyne joined Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay in the middle of the park, while Antonio Vergara and Mathias Olivera slotted into the wing-back roles.

As for Gennaro Gattuso, he confirmed the Lazio team that beat Cagliari last weekend, but he had to make one compulsory change, bringing in Andrea Pinamonti for injured club captain Mattia Zaccagni, thus moving Tijjani Noslin to the left wing. Gustav Isaksen completed the attacking trident, while Davide Frattesi, Reda Belahyane, and Kenneth Taylor kept their places in midfield.

Nuno Tavares missed training earlier this week due to muscle fatigue but was deemed fit enough to start, joining Romano Floriani Mussolini, Josip Sutalo, and Oliver Provstgaard at the back.

The visitors almost took the lead in the first minute of the match. Isaksen’s pressing forced a Rafa Marin mistake, and Pinamonti set up a shot for his Danish teammate, but his trademark left-foot curler whistled past the far post.

A few minutes later, Isaksen managed to hit the target, but this time, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic produced a solid save. The Serbian goalkeeper also pulled off a fabulous stop on Sutalos’ header following a Tavares corner kick, parrying the ball away after bouncing off the pitch.

In the 28th minute, Lazio took a deserved lead from a blueprint counter-attack following a Napoli corner kick. Pinamonti headed it back to Tavares, who released Noslin on the left flank. The Dutchman drove the ball forward, waited for Frattesi to storm into the box before feeding him with a perfectly timed through ball.

The Italian international knew he didn’t have time or space to hold the ball, so he fired a first-time shot towards Milinkovic-Savic’s near post. While the ball wasn’t too far away from the giant goalkeeper, he didn’t have enough time to react. This was Frattesi’s fourth goal of he season, and his first since Matchday 3.

The Biancocelesti had chances to add to their lead. Floriani Mussolini’s square ball found Taylor inside the box, but the midfielder was reluctant to shoot, allowing the opposition to swarm around him.

Napoli gradually took control of the action in the final 10 minutes of the first half. Their most dangerous chance was created by Lang, who sent Olivera to the byline. The Uruguayan sent a dangerous ball to the mouth of the goal. Mandas’ initial clearance ricocheted off Hojlund, but the goalkeeper was just able to grab the ball before it crossed the line.

After the interval, Napoli picked up from where they left it, and they managed to find the equaliser swiftly, albeit through a Lazio player. Frattesi was dispossessed by McTominay, and De Bruyne picked Lang on the left wing. The Dutchman tried to find Hojlund or McTominay with his cross, but it was Alfonso Pedraza who directed it past his goalkeeper. The Spaniard had only just replaced Tavares at the break.

The Partenopei almost completed the turnaround instantly, but Mandas was able to deny McTominay, while Olivera squandered a glorious chance with a wayward shot. Afterwards, Milinkovic-Savic put De Bruyne on goal with an oustanding long ball. The Lazio goalkeeper made himself big to stop the first shot, while Belahyane pulled off a last-ditch clearance to stop the Belgian’s second attempt.

Lazio, who were on the back foot for the majority of the second half had a major chance when Belahyane cut through the Napoli midfield with an incredible solo run before teeing up Matteo Cancellieri on the left side, but the latter failed to hit the target.

In the end, the two sides settled for a point that surely didn’t satisfy the wounded hosts, but is enough to ensure Lazio will head to the international top of the table regardless of Inter Milan’s result against Como later on Sunday.