By Daily Sports on December 20, 2021

Napoli got their title challenge back on track on Sunday with a dramatic 1-0 win at rivals AC Milan which moved them up to second in Serie A.

Eljif Elmas headed home the decisive goal from Piotr Zielinski’s fifth-minute corner at a freezing San Siro to end a mini-crisis for Luciano Spalletti’s injury-ravaged side and put them four points behind champions Inter Milan.

Former league leaders Napoli looked assured despite missing a host of starters including star striker Victor Osimhen, defensive lynchpin Kalidou Koulibaly and Italy forward Lorenzo Insigne and are back on track after two home defeats at the hands of Atalanta and Empoli.

However, they survived a late scare following a wave of late Milan pressure when Franck Kessie’s late leveller was disallowed following a VAR check, with Olivier Giroud ruled to have played a part in the goal while on the floor in an offside position.

That sparked fury from Milan fans in the stands, whose team were also missing a number of first-team players, among them starting centre-back Simon Kjaer who is out for the season.

Stefano Pioli’s side have been bumped down to third following that controversial ending but are level on 39 points with Napoli as four teams battle for the ‘Scudetto’ with Atalanta lurking a further two points back in fourth.

They all now head into the final midweek round of fixtures before the Christmas break hoping to keep pace with Inter in Italy’s most exciting title race in years.

VLAHOVIC ON TARGET

Dusan Vlahovic was again on target for Fiorentina in Sunday’s early match but could not help the Viola put pressure on Serie A’s Champions League positions.

Serbia forward Vlahovic struck his league-leading 16th goal of the season in the 51st minute in Florence to pull a goal back after his team trailed by two at halftime.

Lucas Torreira levelled just after the hour mark but Vincenzo Italiano’s side then lost Cristiano Biraghi to a second yellow card in the 68th minute and could not complete a comeback which would have put them within three points of the top four.

Fiorentina sit sixth, level on 31 points with Roma and Juventus and six points behind Atalanta. “Without the Biraghi red card, I think we would have gone on to win,” said Italiano to Sky Sport Italia.

Vlahovic, who will turn 22 next month, has now scored 33 Serie A goals in 2021 – matching Cristiano Ronaldo’s total last year – and is expected to be a target for some of Europe’s biggest clubs in the January transfer window.

He has refused to sign an extension to his current contract which expires in the summer of 2023, meaning Fiorentina could move to cash in early in order to get maximum value from their star player.

Torino moved up to 10th after beating 10-man Verona 1-0 with Tommaso Pobega's strike midway through the first half, while Thomas Henry snatched a late point for Venezia in a 1-1 draw at Sampdoria after Spezia and Empoli also played out a 1-1 stalemate earlier in the day. (AFP)

•PHOTO: Eljif Elmas (3rd Right) Scored for Napoli

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 20, 2021

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