Serie A - Napoli 1 Roma 1 - Match Report
Dries Mertens scores in stoppage time as Napoli & Roma share the points in the Derby del Sole with a 1-1 draw
Mitch Freeley
Dries Mertens grabbed a late equaliser to snatch Napoli a 1-1 draw with Roma on Sunday which saw Carlo Ancelotti's men cut Juventus' lead at the top of Serie A to six points.
After seeing Paris Saint-Germain steal a last-gasp 2-2 in their midweek Champions League clash at the Parc des Princes, this time it was Napoli's turn to salvage a point at the death.
Stephan El Shaawary's early opener for Roma looked to have won the game for the visitors, but Belgian international Mertens pounced in the 90th minute to limit the damage for Napoli.
Reigning champions Juventus remain well clear after Cristiano Ronaldo scored a double, including a thunderous 25-yard winner, in a 2-1 win at Empoli on Saturday.
But last year's runners-up Napoli are now unbeaten in their last five games in all competitions since a 3-1 loss at Juve in September. Just seconds after Edin Dzeko had seen a long-range shot fly narrowly wide, El Shaarawy gave Roma a 14th-minute lead with his third goal of the season.
Dzeko failed to get a touch on Turkish winger Cengiz Under's low cross, but the 26-year-old El Shaarawy was on hand to slot the ball in off the post, despite the best efforts of Kalidou Koulibaly on the line.
The hosts quickly went in search of an equaliser, but Roma goalkeeper Robin Olsen did well to deny both Arkadiusz Milik and Marek Hamsik in quick succession.
Napoli dominated possession in the second half, but struggled to create many clear-cut chances, with Mertens seeing two late efforts ruled out for offside.
But the 31-year-old winger latched onto a miskick from Jose Callejon to smash into the roof of the net and score his fifth goal of the campaign.
Goals/ Highlights
90- Goal! Dries Mertens steals in at the back post to level the scores! 1-1!
14- Goal! Roma take the lead! Stephan El Shaarawy with the goal!
Live Updates
Now for Roma! Edin Dzeko starts up front, Roma look like they will be playing a 4-5-1 formation.
TEAM NEWS | 📋 | Here is our starting XI for tonight’s game against Napoli!
Daje! 🐺 #ASRoma #NapoliRoma pic.twitter.com/vShAdAPYUI — AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) October 28, 2018
Team News! We have some team news! First Up Napoli! Lorenzo Insigne (My favourite footballer plying his trade in Italy, FYI) is starting up front, whilst Marek Hamsik starts in central midfield. Dries Mertens is on the bench.
⚽ #NapoliRoma
📌 XI
🇮🇹 @SerieA
💙 #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/pIYBneTR4C — Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) October 28, 2018
Good evening! Welcome to the Live Updates of the Derby del Sole between Napoli & Roma. These two sides have developed quite the rivalry down the years and are set to battle it out at the Stadio San Paolo. As ever stick around for the latest team news, Live Match Commentary and Live video highlights of the goals as they go in!
Match Information
Channel- 11HD
Kick-Off - 22:30
Stadium- Stadio San Paolo, Napoli
Watch online- beIN SPORTS CONNECT.
