SSC Napoli appear more and more likely to end Juventus’ stranglehold on the scudetto.
Serie A on Sunday resumed after the winter break and Maurizio Sarri’s team won 1-0 at Atalanta BC to extend their lead at the top of the table to four points ahead of Juventus.
The six-time defending champions were due to host Genoa yesterday.
Photo: EPA
It appears to be turning into a two-horse race after Inter could only draw 1-1 at home to fifth-placed AS Roma and slipped to fourth.
SS Lazio beat AC Chievo Verona 5-1 to move third, but are 11 points behind Napoli, albeit with a match in hand.
Napoli had lost three of their past four matches against Atalanta, but Dries Mertens ended his goal drought in timely fashion to help his team break that hoodoo.
“We won and I scored, you can’t get better than that,” Mertens said. “It was very important for us, for the team, for the fans, because we know it is always difficult here for us and it was important to win here... It’s certainly another small step toward our dream. Let’s hope.”
Napoli won their only two league titles in 1986-1987 and 1989-1990 with Argentine great Diego Maradona leading the way.
Napoli were looking for revenge after losing a Coppa Italia quarter-final to Atalanta at the beginning of the year, but struggled to create anything against a well-organized defense.
The visitors broke the deadlock in the 65th minute when Mertens beat the offside trap to run onto Jose Callejon’s through-ball and smash it in for his 11th league goal this season, but his first in 10 Serie A matches.
Inter’s difficult period continued with the draw against Roma as they remained winless in Serie A since a 5-0 victory over Chievo on Dec. 3 last year.
Only Matias Vecino’s header four minutes from time prevented Inter from falling to a fourth defeat in their past six matches in all competitions.
“We couldn’t lose this game, we gave it everything, in the second half we pinned Roma back and we deserved the draw,” Vecino said. “We couldn’t continue not getting points... we have to get back to winning, but our reaction was good today. We are in a difficult period, but we’re on the right track to getting three points.”
Stephan El Shaarawy had fired Roma in front in the 31st minute, dinking the ball over onrushing Samir Handanovic after a long clearance from visiting goalkeeper Alisson.
Inter laid siege to the Roma goal in the closing stages and Alisson pulled off a number of great saves, including tipping Mauro Icardi’s shot onto the post.
The Brazilian goalkeeper also managed to keep out another effort from the Inter captain from point-blank range.
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