Napoli Held to 2-2 Draw by Lazio, Title Race Wide Open
In a dramatic turn of events, Napoli were held to a 2-2 draw by Lazio on Saturday, with Boulaye Dia’s late strike denying them a crucial win and keeping the Serie A title race wide open.
The match took a surprising twist when Adam Marušić accidentally scored an own goal in the 64th minute, giving Napoli the lead in bizarre fashion. This came after Giacomo Raspadori had canceled out Gustav Isaksen’s opener with a well-taken finish, following a link-up play with Romelu Lukaku.
Just as Napoli looked set to move four points clear at the top, Dia’s composed finish in the 87th minute snatched a point for Lazio, leaving the defending champions vulnerable to losing their lead. The result now gives Inter Milan the opportunity to leapfrog Napoli with a victory over Juventus on Sunday.
Lazio thought they had equalized immediately after Marušić’s own goal, but Mattia Zaccagni’s stunning bicycle kick was ruled out for offside, adding to the drama of the match.
With Napoli’s grip on the title race slipping with three consecutive draws, Lazio finds themselves in a strong position, sitting three points clear of Juventus in fourth place, eagerly awaiting their rivals’ clash with Inter Milan.
Meanwhile, Atalanta faced frustration in a goalless draw against Cagliari, denting their title hopes further. Despite missing key players, coach Gian Piero Gasperini introduced several first-team regulars late in the game, but they were unable to break down Cagliari’s resilient defense.
AC Milan will take on Verona later on Saturday, looking to bounce back from their midweek Champions League defeat and keep their Serie A title aspirations alive.
