SSC Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso’s first-ever match against AC Milan on Sunday ended in a 2-2 draw in Serie A.
Giovanni di Lorenzo and Dries Mertens scored for Napoli to cancel out Theo Hernandez’s opener, but Franck Kessie leveled from the penalty spot 17 minutes from time.
Napoli remain sixth in Serie A, two points above Milan.
Photo: AP
Gattuso had both played for and coached Milan, but had never faced the Rossoneri since leaving by mutual consent at the end of last season.
There was a touching moment before the match when Gattuso embraced Milan technical director Paolo Maldini, who he played with at Milan for 10 years.
“There are so many emotions, because it’s the first time I faced the team that made me become a man and made me win so much, but I’m angry tonight with my players, because when you create seven to eight chances you need to score,” Gattuso said. “It’s not just a problem with the forwards, we easily get to within 18, 20 meters of the goal, but we still make so many mistakes and we need to improve.”
Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma pulled off two superb saves before his side went ahead against the run of play in the 20th minute when Hernandez volleying in Ante Rebic’s cross.
Napoli leveled 14 minutes later when Donnarumma could only parry Lorenzo Insigne’s free-kick into the path of Di Lorenzo, who tapped in the rebound.
The hosts went ahead on the hour mark when Jose Callejon pulled the ball back for Mertens, whose effort squirmed under Donnarumma at his near post.
Milan had not lost since Serie A resumed after the COVID-19 suspension and they leveled when Giacomo Bonaventura was tripped in the penalty area by Nikola Maksimovic and Kessie converted the resulting spot-kick.
Milan played the final few minutes with 10 men after midfielder Alexis Saelemaekers was sent off following two bookings in three minutes.
Elsewhere, Genoa improved their chances of avoiding relegation with a 2-0 win over last-placed SPAL.
Goran Pandev and Lasse Schone scored in each half, and Genoa also had a penalty saved.
It was Genoa’s first win since the resumption and it lifted them out of the relegation zone.
They are one point above US Lecce, who hit the woodwork twice in a 0-0 draw at Cagliari.
Federico Bonazzoli scored a spectacular goal six minutes from time to help UC Sampdoria to a vital 3-1 win at fellow strugglers Udinese.
Bonazzoli acrobatically volleyed in Samp’s second goal with a scissor-kick.
Bram Nuytinck thought he had equalized moments later, but it was ruled out for handball.
Samp moved level on points with Udinese, six points above Lecce.
Davide Faraoni also scored in similarly impressive fashion to help Hellas Verona draw 1-1 at ACF Fiorentina, who leveled with practically the last kick of the match.
Parma scored two stoppage-time goals to fight back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Bologna.
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