Monza-Napoli 0-1, McTominay catches up with Inter

Monza, 19 April 2025 - At Monza the only thing missing is the mathematics for relegation, with the serious fear of even being able to update some negative records, while the Napoli dreams of the championship, hot on the heels ofInter a -3 on the eve of the match Bologna of the league leaders. Yet, the race of theU Power Stadium turns out to be much more difficult for the Azzurri than expected, with a first half in which the home team creates the best chances to break the deadlock. Not that the script changes much in the second half, at least until the 72nd minute, the minute that sees the usual McTominay take the chestnuts out of the fire with a header facilitated by the wrong exit of TuratiIn one fell swoop, the Azzurri have broken the away game taboo that had lasted since 18st January, day of success at home of theAtalanta, and above all they temporarily hook theInter, who will take to the field tomorrow with the burden of the pressure on his shoulders: among other things in a From the Ara which doesn't evoke pleasant memories when there's a sort of playoff for the championship at stake like the one on the horizon.

The official lineups

 In this choose a 3-5-2 open from Turati, protected by Pereira, Caldirola e Carboni, with Birindelli e Kyriakopoulos on the bands and the trio Castrovilli-White-Akpa Akpro on the median: in front it's up to Goats e Speck. Tale reply with a 4-3-3 that he sees between the posts Meret, with By Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Marine e Olive in defense and gilmour, Lobotka e McTominay in the middle of the field: in attack they are there instead politan, Lukaku e Spinazzola.

First half

 Il Napoli tries to start strong and at 2' he shoots Spinazzola, which strangles the conclusion too much, then easily rejected by the home defense. At 7' Rrahmani wins the physical duel with First Akpro and earns a corner, taken towards the near post by politan and headed back by SpeckThe first shot of the match is a Monza and arrives at the 11th, when Birindelli opens the outside too much on continuous action of his players, who shortly after advance with First Akpro, which cuts behind Olive and puts in the middle towards Speck: Marine anticipates in a providential manner. The Azzurri respond by earning a free kick from the edge of the area for a push by Goats su Spinazzola: beats McTominay, which goes straight to the point finding the not so beautiful but effective answer of Turati. Shortly after the Scotsman talks with Spinazzola e Lukaku before trying it himself, but his left foot finds opposition from Caldirola: yet another corner for the Napoli he beats it gilmour for the head of Rrahmani, which doesn't go very far from the target. At 21' he tries again with his head Lukaku assisted by Spinazzola but once again the maximum turnover is a turn from the flag: it still beats gilmour e Marine the shot towards the second post, where McTominay arrives just a hair's breadth late. At 27' Marine try to do it all by yourself with a powerful but central shot for Turati, while on the other side it sinks Castrovilli who, disturbed at the time of shooting by Rrahmani, in precarious balance, grazes the post. At 39' Spinazzola tries to speed up the maneuver after a rather dull phase of his team and serves politan, but the latter's volley is a gift to the curve. At 42' the Monza earns a corner that arms the shot from outside White which, diverted from McTominay before and Speck then, it becomes very dangerous in the area of Meret. On the tipping in front Lukaku chews the conclusion from zero meters after the previous shot of politan, deflected, had turned into an assist. The visiting defense was still trembling at the 45th minute, when Kyriakopoulos he puts in a low cross that Speck tries to deflect with the heel, taking the ball away from the availability of Rrahmani but also of Birindelli before the end of the minute of injury time granted by the referee The pen: is 0-0 and in the end, paradoxically, the result does not speak badly of the Napoli.

Second half

 Tale leave in the changing rooms gilmour, replaced by Anguissa, the luxury excluded from today's starting eleven. The Azzurri try to take control of the field but, as is somewhat typical for the entire afternoon, the best chances are created by the Giallorossi: at 56' Caldirola rises above the corner and narrowly misses the target, but for The pen his disengagement is also tainted by a foul. The second move of Tale è Breakers for Olive: In this he responds by throwing Gagliardini per Akpa Akpro. Shortly after Napoli a colossal goal opportunity is created when politan is found perfectly by a vertical track but at the moment of conclusion the door is blocked by the big hand of TuratiThe goal is in the air and arrives in the 72nd minute, when McTominay he heads the soft cross into the sack Breakers, served by Spinazzola: this time the so-so exit of Turati condemns his own: the immediate countermove of In this è Ganvoula for Birindelli. At 77' the Napoli It might close the matter, but By Lorenzo miscalibrate the cross for Lukaku, who was all alone on the edge of the six-yard box: the Belgian was then replaced by Simeon. At 81' he tries from outside Breakers: Carboni makes the ball soar, which this time does not betray Turati. On the other side Speck earns a free kick from the edge of the box that he takes Goats, with the barrier giving the Brianza team a turn from the flag. In this also gives minutes to Cyurria e Urbanski for Castrovilli e White: Tale insert instead ngonge for politan. At 87' By Lorenzo he tries from outside, but his aim is imprecise, while at 89' Simeon crosses with his right foot but does so from an offside position. The minutes of injury time are 3  the Monza try to use it to give themselves the equaliser: the balls thrown into the away area are many, but none are good enough to take away the Napoli the victory (more hard-fought than it should have been) which is worth the temporary clinching of theInter.