SERIE A: Napoli edges closer to title with last-gasp win over Juventus
Napoli secured a rare double over Juventus with a dramatic 1-0 win on Sunday, thanks to Giacomo Raspadori’s 93rd-minute volley.
The match in Turin was initially dull, with both teams seemingly taking a collective breath after a manic week. Juventus had twice found the back of the net in the closing stages, but Raspadori’s late goal ensured a deserved victory for Napoli.
Juventus had been successful in their initial appeal of an earlier points deduction, and their win put them back into the top four. Napoli, on the other hand, had crashed out of the Champions League and was focusing their attention on winning the Scudetto.
The encounter was far from the reverse fixture, which Napoli had dominated to win 5-1. In this match, Napoli created few chances until Victor Osimhen saw three opportunities come and go in quick succession during the second half.
Osimhen’s low shot was deflected off the outside of the post with 20 minutes remaining, and he nodded straight at Wojciech Szczesny from the resulting corner. He then lifted a first-time effort over the crossbar, which might have proved costly when Angel Di Maria netted a deflected strike on the counter. However, the VAR highlighted a marginal foul in the build-up.
Dusan Vlahovic was also denied after scoring when Federico Chiesa had run the ball out of play, but it appeared as though Napoli’s last chance had been squandered by Osimhen again when Szczesny saved well.
However, seconds later, Eljif Elmas crossed from the right, and Raspadori hammered a low strike between the goalkeeper’s legs to secure the points for Napoli.
