Napoli let a precious Serie A victory slip away at the Maradona, drawing 3-3 with Roma after leading 2-0 and then 3-2 until the 89th minute. Scott McTominay’s two goals appeared set to lift Massimiliano Allegri’s side, but centre-back Leonardo Balerdi struck twice for Roma, including a late header that completed an extraordinary recovery in the eighth-round Saturday fixture.
A six-goal evening at the Maradona
Napoli had the sharper chances in a first half where Roma enjoyed more of the ball, recording 56 per cent possession before the interval. Allegri’s team sat deeper and looked to break into the open spaces, repeatedly targeting the wide areas through Noa Lang and Matteo Politano.
Gian Piero Gasperini began with Bryan Cristante operating behind Matias Soulé and Donyell Malen, while Devyne Rensch was selected on the right to deal with Lang. Roma’s defence initially contained Rasmus Hojlund through Evan Ndicka, but Rafa Marin’s early booking for a challenge on Wesley made his afternoon more complicated.
- Rensch made an important goal-line intervention to deny Lang, while the Dutch winger later sent another effort wide.
- Cristante fired narrowly off target and Malen was denied by Alex Meret after finding room in the area.
- Napoli took the lead when André-Frank Zambo Anguissa produced an overhead kick following a set-piece clearance. Pisilli was beaten in the marking and Mile Svilar’s replacement Pierluigi Gollini was caught out by the finish.
- Gollini responded with major saves, first rushing out to stop Kevin De Bruyne and then keeping out Mathías Olivera after a Hojlund-led attack.
- Cristante struck the inside of the post with a header before half-time.
The match resumed without changes, Napoli still one goal ahead, but the home side soon extended their advantage. Politano got beyond Wesley and supplied a cross for McTominay, who rose above Rensch at the far post to head in the second.
Roma find a route back into the contest
The 2-0 scoreline threatened to become heavier when Gollini stopped Politano in a one-on-one situation. Gasperini responded by introducing Balerdi, Molina and Castro for Hermoso, Rensch and Pisilli, and Roma gradually recovered the force that had been missing after the restart.
Soulé drove the response. After testing Napoli from distance, he combined with Malen on the edge of the box and beat Meret with a left-footed finish. Napoli’s midfield, so solid earlier in the match, began to lose energy as Anguissa and De Bruyne tired.
Roma’s equaliser arrived through Balerdi, who turned Ndicka’s knockdown into a close-range finish. The visitors had recovered from the kind of difficult opening to a half that had also troubled them against Inter, Atalanta and Fenerbahce.
McTominay and Balerdi decide a wild finish
There was still another turn. McTominay restored Napoli’s lead with a powerful right-footed strike from outside the area after a Wesley error, with Gollini unable to keep it out. It was the midfielder’s second goal of the evening and seemed likely to settle a match Napoli had controlled for long spells.
Instead, Roma forced one last attack. After Beukema went down and play continued, Wesley delivered from the flank and Balerdi headed in the 3-3 equaliser. The defender’s second goal ensured that Napoli could not turn their advantage into the win that would have improved their league position.
- Anguissa scored Napoli’s first goal with an overhead kick.
- McTominay struck once with a header and once from distance.
- Soulé began Roma’s comeback after an exchange with Malen.
- Balerdi scored twice, first from Ndicka’s assist and then with the 89th-minute header.
- Allegri was sent off for protesting during the closing stages.
Napoli also replaced Di Lorenzo, De Bruyne and Lang with Spinazzola, Lobotka and Vergara, while the exhausted Politano made way for Giovane. Badiashile had earlier been forced off with a muscular issue, with Beukema entering. Balerdi, introduced as part of Roma’s reshuffle, was booked shortly after coming on for bringing down Hojlund.
The wider Serie A picture
The draw leaves Napoli with the greater frustration after twice holding a two-goal advantage in the flow of the match and remaining ahead deep into the final minutes. Roma, meanwhile, leave Naples with a point of considerable value after a difficult start and a late defensive contribution from their Argentine centre-back.
Lazio, against Parma, and Inter, facing Fiorentina the following day, had the opportunity to create further separation at the top of the table.
The meeting added another eventful chapter to a long fixture between the clubs. Napoli and Roma had met 180 times in all competitions before this game, with Roma holding 66 wins to Napoli’s 55, alongside 59 draws.
Colombo officiated the match, assisted by Bindoni and Rossi, with Sacchi as fourth official. Aureliano and Meraviglia were assigned to the VAR room.
