Philip Billing kept Napoli right on Inter Milan’s tail at the top of Serie A after scoring a late equaliser in Saturday’s exciting 1-1 draw in Naples.
Denmark midfielder Billing tapped home his first Napoli goal three minutes from the end at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona to keep second-placed Napoli one point behind Inter.
The 32-year-old, on loan from Bournemouth, scored after a driving run from Stanislav Lobotka, pouncing on the rebound when his first effort was saved by Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez.
Up to that point, it had looked like Federico Dimarco’s stunning free-kick in the 22nd minute would be enough for Inter to strike a huge blow in their bid to retain the Scudetto.
Simone Inzaghi’s Inter were on the back foot for much of the match and needed some desperate defending as they tried to escape Naples with all three points.
But Inzaghi will again be frustrated by his team failing to win a big match, something that his players have struggled to do this season after dominating the division from start to finish last term.
They could not have met Napoli at a better time, as Antonio Conte’s team had conceded the initiative with three points from their four matches in February after previously looking like storming to a second title in three seasons.
Inter’s dogged rearguard action, which had featured a series of last-ditch lunging tackles and hefty clearances, was finally broken by Billing, who saved his new team in his second appearance since signing in January.
Billing’s late leveller also gave a reprieve to Atalanta who failed to win at home for the fifth straight time in Italy’s top flight and stay third, three points behind Inter.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side are still in the fight but have not won in front of their own fans in domestic competition since the turn of the year. Atalanta’s form on home turf is threatening their unprecedented Scudetto bid.
“When we play at home against these kinds of teams when always have to deal with packed defences,” said Gasperini.
“We were hoping to be first and the boys gave everything but this is a difficult period for everyone, you can see that with how the other teams (at the top) are doing.”
Davide Zappacosta went closest to breaking the deadlock five minutes before half-time when he clipped the outside of the post after great work from Ademola Lookman.
Lookman had wasted a great chance one-on-one with Venezia goalkeeper Ionut Radu moments before. The Nigeria forward also smashed over from inches out in the 82nd minute.
Mateo Retegui was also guilty of missing presentable opportunities as Atalanta’s usually flamboyant attack struggled to break down stubborn Venezia.
The surprise point gave Venezia a small boost in their bid to stay up, but Eusebio Di Francesco’s team are five points from Parma, who sit just outside the relegation zone and are at Udinese in Saturday’s late fixture.
AFP
