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Serie A | Napoli 2-2 Roma: Thrilling Derby del Sole

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Susy Campanale | Last updated 4/28/24

It was a dramatic Derby del Sole with Napoli first chasing the game, then pegged back by a last-gasp Tammy Abraham header following Victor Osimhen’s penalty.

The Partenopei were in dire need of a boost after one point from games against relegation battlers Frosinone and Empoli, but while Piotr Zielinski and Pierluigi Gollini were injured, Mario Rui and Amir Rrahmani returned from suspension. The Giallorossi stayed fifth with Thursday’s last-gasp victory in the 17-minute match against Udinese, completing the fixture suspended for Evan Ndicka’s collapsed lung. Ndicka made his return here, but Leandro Paredes and Diego Llorente sat out bans, with Chris Smalling, Rick Karsdorp and Romelu Lukaku not fully fit.

See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.

Lorenzo Pellegrini nodded over from a corner in the opening minutes, while Ndicka marked his comeback with two crucial blocks on Victor Osimhen.

Mile Svilar denied Giovanni Di Lorenzo at the near post on the Matteo Politano through ball, then was also alert on Osimhen’s angled drive after Ndicka was finally beaten.

Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa was clear on goal from an Osimhen flick-on only to blast off target as Svilar came rushing off the line.

Svilar flew to push a Kvaratskhelia curler over the bar with one hand, then on the resulting corner Juan Jesus turned over, but was already offside.

Di Lorenzo only grazed his head to a Kvaratskhelia free kick that flashed across the face of goal, while after the restart Stephan El Shaarawy’s scissor-kick volley was off target and Svilar was alert to stop Jens Cajuste tapping in the Osimhen low cross.

There was a huge Napoli opportunity when Stanislav Lobotka sprung the offside trap, but Svilar rushed out and got just enough on it to prevent the Kvaratskhelia follow-up.

Moments later, Roma received a penalty when Sardar Azmoun anticipated Juan Jesus to a ball over the top and Paulo Dybala converted despite Alex Meret guessing the right angle.

Napoli had their own stroke of luck to equalise, as Matias Olivera saw his effort take a huge deflection off Angelino to loop up over Svilar into the far top corner.

Moments later, the Partenopei almost turned it around, Osimhen’s header grazing a coat of paint off the far post. Roma also reacted, Pellegrini forcing a tricky save from Meret.

Kvaratskhelia failed to make the most of an Osimhen cross, then Svilar made an extraordinary save with his wrist when Osimhen sprinted clear onto the Cyril Ngonge pass.

There was more drama when Renato Sanches made a rare appearance for Roma off the bench, seemed to get the ball first, but then his trailing leg swung round and kicked Kvaratskhelia on the shin. A penalty was awarded following a VAR review and Osimhen sent Svilar the wrong way to convert.

Roma had the ball in the net on 89 minutes with Tammy Abraham’s header from a corner flicked on by Ndicka and the offside flag initially went up, but VAR showed he was level and it counted.

It still wasn’t over, as Svilar made a desperate double save on Amir Rrahmani’s snapshot and the Osimhen follow-up, aided by Mancini.