Dan Ndoye’s leveller towards Napoli was his eighth aim for Bologna this season (Andreas SOLARO)
Napoli let Serie A leaders Inter Milan off the hook on Monday after being held to a 1-1 draw at Champion League chasers Bologna, who missed the prospect to maneuver into third place.
Antonio Conte’s crew seemed to be shifting one level behind champions Inter when Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa opened the scoring within the 18th minute on the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.
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Anguissa’s aim got here in a superb first half from Napoli however Bologna completed stronger and Dan Ndoye gave the hosts a deserved level when he backheeled Jens Odgaard’s low cross in off the crossbar within the sixty fourth minute.
And Napoli had Simone Scuffet, in for sick first-choice goalkeeper Alex Meret, to thank when he brilliantly palmed away Emil Holm’s highly effective header within the remaining minute earlier than Santiago Castro didn’t react on the rebound.
“That was an opportunity to get all thee factors, it might have given us the reward for our fabulous second half,” stated Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano.
“We stored them in their very own half, created loads of promising conditions. We’ll take the purpose however I am very proud of the second half which was sensible from my gamers.”
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Second-placed Napoli keep three factors behind Inter who had given their rivals a gap by throwing away a two-goal half-time lead of their 2-2 draw at Parma on Saturday.
That hole will increase Inter earlier than they tackle Bayern Munich within the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday, as Simone Inzaghi’s crew have a far harder run-in even with out their European commitments and Italian Cup semi-final with AC Milan.
Napoli’s remaining seven league fixtures are all towards groups within the backside half of the desk whereas Inter should play Bologna, Roma and Lazio who’re all making an attempt to qualify for the Champions League.
“Let’s begin with the very fact we performed rather well within the first half,” stated Napoli’s assistant coach Cristian Stellini, rather than the suspended Conte.
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“After the break we had been lacking one thing, we appeared to defend fairly than assault, and whenever you lose your rhythm at a floor like this towards a superb crew in nice kind it is needed to get it again.”
Bologna would have moved above Atalanta — crushed by Lazio on Sunday — into third with a seventh straight win however they keep fourth and look a superb wager for a spot in Europe’s elite membership competitors.
Beneath Italiano, Bologna are usually not simply preventing for Champions League soccer but in addition have one foot within the Italian Cup remaining as they maintain a 3-0 lead from the primary leg of their final 4 tie with Empoli.
Bologna have misplaced simply as soon as because the flip of the yr and solely resolute defending from Napoli and nice fingers from Scuffet stopped them from taking all three factors forward of subsequent weekend’s enormous conflict at Atalanta.
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