Napoli have suffered a setback in their race for Serie A glory as they drew 2-2 with relegation-threatened Hellas Verona. The result means Napoli went five games unbeaten in all competitions, while Verona denied the visitors a third league win all season.
Napoli had begun the match brightly, with Eljif Elmas thwarted by Lorenzo Montipò’s near-post save. However, Verona struck early, with Martin Frese scoring on the visitors’ first venture into the hosts’ box.
Things got worse for Napoli midway through the first half, as Gift Orban scored from a penalty awarded after a handball by Alessandro Buongiorno. Napoli struggled to break down Verona’s defense, with Rasmus Hojlund heading a Giovanni Di Lorenzo cross over the bar.
However, Napoli’s fortunes changed after the break. Scott McTominay scored a header from a corner, and the champions continued to push for an equalizer. They finally leveled eight minutes from time, as Di Lorenzo swept home a Luca Marianucci ball to the near post.
Napoli’s fightback was remarkable, but they missed the chance to go top of the table. Verona, on the other hand, ended a run of back-to-back 3-0 defeats and moved to within two points of safety.
The match was marked by controversy, with VAR interventions affecting the outcome. A potential handball by Hojlund was spotted, denying Napoli a goal, while McTominay’s earlier goal was ruled offside.
Napoli’s unbeaten home run in the league continued, with this being their fifth game unbeaten in all competitions. However, they will be disappointed to have dropped points at home.
