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FootballInter Milan knocks Napoli off its pedestal
Undefeated so far, the Neapolitan leader lost on the field of Inter Milan (1-0) for the resumption of Serie A on Wednesday. The other top names, with the exception of Lazio, responded.
Milan Skriniar exults after Edin Dzeko’s goal.
Imago
Naples got off to a bad start to a year 2023 that its tifosi hope will be historic by conceding its first defeat in the league on Wednesday, against Inter in Milan (1-0), on the occasion of the post-World Cup resumption of Serie A. revive the hopes of his pursuers. The Partenopei, however, retain the lead in Serie A with 5 points ahead of AC Milan and 7 over Juventus.
Already more dangerous before the break, Inter increased their pressure on returning from the locker room and found the opening thanks to a powerful header from Edin Dzeko (56th), on a precise cross from Federico Dimarco. The Nerazzurri, finally able to beat a direct rival this season, return to 4th place, eight lengths behind their evening opponent. “Beating a team like Napoli obviously gives us a lot of confidence, even if there are still a lot of matches left,” coach Simone Inzaghi said on DAZN.
Naples had so far dropped only four points (two draws) in the first fifteen days and remained on eleven consecutive victories. He had only been beaten once this season, in the Champions League at Liverpool (2-0).
This setback, as soon as the championship resumes after more than a month and a half of a break due to the World Cup, reopens the race for the Scudetto, because the pursuers of Napoli, AC Milan and Juventus, both won on Wednesday. Naples is aiming for its first Italian championship title since the two offered more than thirty years ago by Diego Maradona (1987, 1990).
“We did not manage to circulate the ball with the same quality and the same speed as usual,” regretted his coach, Luciano Spalletti. “We have to find our best level,” he added, as Naples will receive Juve in nine days.
His team pushed to equalize but André Onana did not miss the only save he had to face Giacomo Raspadori (89th), displaying his serenity despite the turbulence with the selection of Cameroon in Qatar.
AC Milan starts with a bang
Olivier Giroud congratulates Rafael Leão, author of the opener against Salernitana.
Imago
AC Milan started off on the right foot at Salernitana (2-1). Sandro Tonali offered the first Milan goal to Rafael Leão (10e) before making the break five minutes later in force (15e), bringing a complicated start to the game to Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, a winter recruit from Salernitana. Despite some scares at the end of the match after Federico Bonazzoli’s score was reduced (83e), on the only shot on target from the Garnet, the Rossoneri (2e) return to 5 points from Naples.
For this recovery, the vice-world champions Olivier Giroud and Théo Hernandez were already holders in a team weakened by several absences. Giroud, essential in the absence of alternatives (Rebic, Origi and Ibrahimovic injured), did not find the fault despite several good clear chances, stumbling over Ochoa (32e49e82e) or just missing the frame (48e). The Mexican goalkeeper, spectacular as often, also won a face-to-face against Leão (6e), but that will not have been enough against the largely dominating Milanese, already well on their feet for the recovery.
The 37-year-old veteran was first overtaken and hooked by the Portuguese, well launched in depth by Tonali, then “Memo” lost again on a strong strike from the same Tonali. “Winning the title last year was not easy; Defending it isn’t easy either. But we have to do it, we are a strong team, that’s the goal we have set ourselves, ”commented the Italian on DAZN.
In the Milan goal, Ciprian Tatarusanu, still responsible for replacing Mike Maignan, who has been away from the field since September with a calf injury, had a quiet day for a long time. But the Romanian bowed on the first and only attempt on target from the Campania players, concluded by Bonazzoli at the far post.
Sampdoria, for its part, gave itself a little air by winning its second victory of the season on the lawn of Sassuolo (2-1). Still relegated (18e), it temporarily returns to 4 points from the holding zone.
Milik saves Juve
Arkadiusz Milik (centre) scored the winning goal for the Bianconeri in injury time.
Imago
Arkadiusz Milik offered victory to Juventus Turin in extremis on the ground of Cremonese (1-0), penultimate in Serie A. On a free kick to 25 m, the Polish international struck hard from the left and found the fault with the help of the pole (90+1e). This goal allows Massimiliano Allegri’s men to confirm the clear recovery made since October, after a disastrous start to the season, by scoring a seventh success in a row without conceding a goal (for thirteen scored), Juve thus retains its third place, at two lengths from AC Milan (2e) and seven from leader Napoli.
Charles Pickel’s Cremonese would not have stolen a point against the Old Lady after having done much better than resist. The relegation player was denied a goal for offside in the first half and found Wojciech Szczesny’s post in the second act on a powerful strike from Cyriel Dessers (69e).
In “young” version at kick-off (Gatti, Miretti, Fagioli and Soulé holders) because of his many injuries (Vlahovic, Cuadrado, Bonucci, Pogba, Di Maria) and to spare certain players (Rabiot, Chiesa, Kean, Paredes, Alex Sandro), Juve upped the pace mainly in the last half hour, when those luxury substitutes entered.
Federico Chiesa, Moise Kean and Adrien Rabiot brought consistency and rhythm. Milik, a little alone in front in the first period, did not have to complain about it, donning the habit of savior of the day with his nice free kick from the left, synonymous with victory and a breath of fresh air for the Old Lady , in a heavy extra-sporting context (resignation of President Andrea Agnelli and investigations into his accounts).
Roma catch up with their rival
Roma earned a complicated but valuable success against Bologna.
Imago
Earlier in the day, Lazio Rome missed their comeback by losing to Lecce (1-2) and saw Roma return to their height, victorious over Bologna (1-0). The Laziali, in the top 4 before this 16e day marking the resumption of Italian football, gave way in the second half after opening the scoring early in the game by Ciro Immobile. They retreat to the 5e place and lose ground on Juventus, now four lengths.
Not defeated by the goal of Immobile (14e), Lecce revolted after the break to equalize on a recovery from Gabriel Strefezza (57e) then take the lead thanks to Lorenzo Colombo (71e). The Puglia team dates back to the 12e place thanks to this third victory in a row.
Lazio’s faux pas does the business of its Roman rival, who barely beat Michel Aebischer’s Bologna (entered the game in the 57e minute and warned at the 85e) thanks to a penalty at the start of the match – obtained by the Argentine world champion Paulo Dybala – converted by captain Lorenzo Pellegrini (6e). Roma missed the opportunity to break through Bryan Cristante (36e), Dybala (42e) or Nicolo Zaniolo (48e). And Bologna almost took advantage of it but Tammy Abraham, who entered on the hour mark, saved the equalizing ball on his line in the dying seconds.
In addition to the minute of meditation in memory of Pelé observed in all the Italian stadiums on this day of resumption, the Olimpico also paid tribute, before the match, to the former Serbian international Sinisa Mihajlovic, coach of Bologna until September, disappeared on December 16. Mihajlovic shone in the capital in the Lazio jersey between 1998 and 2004.
Among the other matches of the day, Ricardo Rodríguez’s Torino was held in check by the red lantern, Hellas Verona (1-1).
(AFP)