Milan, November 21 (BNA): Serie A leaders Napoli lost for the first time this season, as Inter Milan revitalized their bid for the Serie A title with a 3-2 victory on Sunday, according to the Associated Press.
Inter, the defending champions, reduced the gap with Napoli and Milan to four points after 13 rounds and ended Napoli’s status as the last unbeaten team in Europe’s five major leagues.
Dries Mertens, who put in an impressive finale with Napoli’s second late goal, missed the chance to equalize in stoppage time when he hit his shot over the goal.
It was Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti’s first return to the San Siro in Milan since he was sent off by Inter despite leading him to fourth place in 2019.
Spalletti’s players wore T-shirts in honor of soccer legend Diego Maradona, who died on November 25 last year, but it was another Argentine who scored the winning goal.
Lautaro Martinez scored the third goal for Inter on a counterattack in the 61st minute, through his compatriot Joaquin Correa, who almost ran from one penalty area to another.
Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic kept the score with a superb shock to deny Mario Roy in injury time, sending the ball over to the crossbar before Mertens missed.
The visiting team had scored the first goal in the 17th minute when Piotr Zielinski grabbed the ball from Nicolo Barilla, then recovered and ran forward to hit the ball from Lorenzo Insigne’s pass under the crossbar.
Hakan Celhanoglu equalized with a penalty kick in the 25th minute, after Kalidou Koulibaly was penalized through the VAR technique for his handball after blocking Barilla’s shot with his left arm.
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi was booked for his angry reaction before the penalty kick was finally awarded, and Koulibaly booked the yellow card, but Inzaghi did not let the yellow card dampen his passion as he continued to instruct his players after the goal.
It sparked an angry reaction before the end of the first half when Napoli goalkeeper David Ospina blocked Barilla. Inter scored from the resulting corner in the 44th minute, when Ospina was unable to clear Ivan Perisic’s header at the near post.
There was a long delay at the start of the second half after a nasty clash between Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Milan Skriniar. Osimin couldn’t keep up and came out with what looked like an injury to his cheekbone.
Martinez scored a goal, but Mertens secured a lively finale when he pulled one back in the 78th minute with a superb shot from under the crossbar. His goal was 137 with Napoli.
And there was another obstacle in another confrontation between Ospina and Inter striker Edin Deco. They both continued with bandaged heads to see the late drama.
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