Piotr Zielinski and Lorenzo Insigne on Sunday scored in the second half as struggling SSC Napoli shocked champions Juventus 2-1 to spoil coach Maurizio Sarri’s return to the Stadio San Paolo.
Sarri had not been back to Naples since being sacked in May 2018 after three successful campaigns, and before moving to Chelsea.
This season he has taken over eight-time reigning champions Juventus, a move seen as a betrayal by his former team, the two-time Serie A runners-up.
Photo: Reuters
Juve missed the chance to open up a six-point lead on Inter at the top of the table after Antonio Conte’s side were earlier held 1-1 by Cagliari, their third consecutive draw.
Inter are three points behind Juve with SS Lazio a further two points adrift in third after city rivals AS Roma ended Simone Inzaghi’s side’s 11-match winning streak with a 1-1 draw.
“It is pleasant and exciting to go back,” Sarri said, despite the whistles and insulting banners of his former fans with their criticism of his “under-par, mentally bland” team.
“We lost a match against opponents who had done the minimum to win,” he said. “We were passive throughout the game, always halfway between pressure and waiting, we made mistakes.”
Zielinski broke the deadlock after 63 minutes finishing off a rebound after Insigne was denied by Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
Insigne volleyed in a second after 86 minutes to an explosion of joy in the crowd.
Cristiano Ronaldo pulled a goal back as the game headed into stoppage-time for his 13th goal in nine consecutive games in all competitions.
The visitors pushed for the equalizer, but Alex Meret smothered Gonzalo Higuain’s goal-bound effort as Juve crashed to just their second defeat of the season.
Napoli move up to 10th place, 12 points off the UEFA Champions League places after ending a run of three consecutive defeats.
“It’s a victory for the whole of Naples,” Insigne said after his team’s first home win in the league since Oct. 19 last year.
At the San Siro in Milan, Radja Nainggolan claimed the equalizer for Cagliari against his parent club.
Tensions reached boiling point as Inter’s goalscorer Lautaro Martinez was sent off in stoppage-time for arguing with the referee.
The Argentine reacted furiously, shouting and repeatedly punching the plexiglass at the side of the pitch, as he was led away by his teammates.
Martinez’s frustration mirrored that of his team, who have now been held to three consecutive 1-1 draws and have taken 11 points from their past seven league games.
Inter made a promising start with Ashley Young having an immediate impact on his debut after arriving from Manchester United, providing the cross which allowed Martinez to head in after half an hour, but the hosts failed to build on the momentum and the Sardinians stayed in the match until Nainggolan’s deflected long-range equalizer on 78 minutes.
Tensions were already high when Martinez went down in a challenge and earned a yellow card for a comment to the referee, promptly earning a straight red for then shouting at the official.
The match ended in chaos with Conte arguing with match officials, before storming off.
“The draw certainly wasn’t down to the referee, we only complained because he didn’t blow for fouls on our forwards,” Inter captain Samir Handanovic said. “Something is definitely missing from the team because we keep conceding second-half goals and don’t kill games off when we have the chance.”
Martinez, who has scored 11 league goal this season, risks missing the Milan derby on Feb. 9 due to a suspension.
Cagliari, in sixth place, occupy the final UEFA Europa League berth, despite taking just three points from their past seven games.
Lazio failed to take second place from Inter after Roma ended their club-record winning streak, with both goals the result of goalkeeping errors.
Roma’s early dominance paid off after 26 minutes when Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Straskosha misjudged Bryan Cristante’s long ball for Edin Dzeko, with the forward anticipating the goalkeeper’s rush, nodding the ball in with the back on his head.
Lazio pulled level eight minutes later after a Pau Lopez shocker.
The Roma goalkeeper was unable to clear an aerial shot and a mix-up with centerback Chris Smalling allowed Francesco Acerbi to tap in.
Paulo Fonseca’s side remain fourth, one point ahead of Atalanta BC, who thrashed Torino 7-0 on Saturday.
Lazio have a game in hand to be played next month against Hellas Verona, who defeated US Lecce 3-0. Parma defeated Udinese 2-0, while UC Sampdoria were held to a goalless draw by US Sassuolo.
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