Napoli’s title celebrations on hold after draw with Salernitana
Napoli would have won their first Serie A title since 1990 with a record six games left if they beat local rivals.
Napoli will have to wait at least a few more days to seal the Serie A title after a 1-1 draw with regional football rivals Salernitana, disappointing legions of fans of the southern club who have already begun to celebrate in anticipation of the championship.
The Partenopei could have gone over with a record six rounds had they beaten Salernitana on Sunday, but Boulaye Dia equalized for the visitors six minutes from the end after Mathias Olivera put Napoli ahead.
The result left league leaders Napoli 18 points ahead of second-placed Lazio, who previously lost 3-1 at Inter Milan.
In third place, Juventus could outflank Lazio and move into second place if they win in Bologna later on.
Napoli are attempting to win the Italian League for the first time since Diego Maradona led the club to its only two Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990.
Olivera scored with a header just after the hour mark and a free kick hit the far post. Dia then dribbled through Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and unleashed an angled shot to equalize.
Napoli will visit Udinese in the next match on Thursday, a day after Lazio receive Sassuolo and Juventus receive Lecce.
Napoli fans celebrated for hours in and outside the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona before the game – raising their voices even louder after Lazio lost, giving Napoli the chance to clinch the title.
Bars and restaurants around the stadium overflowed with people as cars, scooters and police vehicles struggled through a sea of fans and vendors pouring onto the road.
The city center was closed to traffic shortly before kick-off and more than 5,000 police officers were deployed to maintain security, local newspaper Il Mattino reported.
At the request of local authorities to maintain public order, the game had been moved back a day from Saturday. But Salernitana, which has not lost for more than two months, refused to allow the celebration to continue.
Spurred on by a feverish crowd, decked out in blue and white, Napoli started on the front foot and almost went ahead seconds after kick-off when Osimhen headed a Hirving Lozano cross just wide.
Serie A top scorer Osimhen was the only threat to the hosts in what turned out to be a frustrating first half, which saw Salernitana defend deeply and Napoli largely held off.
The Nigerian striker had a few early chances for Napoli – one of which was stopped by Salernitana’s striking goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who recently went to his fifth World Cup with Mexico.
Ochoa also denied a chance from Napoli midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in the first half.
There was also a long, curling effort from Napoli’s dribbling wizard Khvicha Kvaratskhelia that sailed high shortly after the break.
The game finally came alive with a dead ball chance, as Olivera beat several defenders to meet a corner from substitute Giacomo Raspadori and send it out of Ochoa’s reach – causing an outburst of joy inside and outside the stadium.
Blue smoke engulfed the stands as audible fireworks exploded outside the stadium and the acrid smell of spent fireworks wafted through the ground.
Kvaratskhelia almost doubled the lead with a shot that went just wide in the 80th minute. Minutes later, after Olivera was removed to make way for another defender, Dia equalized.
Still, Napoli fans applauded their team at the final whistle.
Inter’s victory lifted them to fourth, tied with AC Milan in fifth and Roma in sixth.
Also on Sunday, Sassuolo beat Empoli 2-1 and Cremonese and Hellas Verona drew 1-1.