Napoli, no escape: with Udinese it's only 1-1

Naples, 9 February 2025 - From the possible attempt of the first real escape of the championship to a braking that delivers to theInter the potential possibility of bringing oneself to -1, provided you beat the Fiorentina in the immediate revenge of the debacle of Franchi: Napoli he rings in the second 1-1 in a row after the one at home Roma and this time he brakes Maradona despite the goal of McTominay which seemed to have uncorked a very complicated match. Thanks to theUdinese, who devours many opportunities (the one missed by colossal Lucca) but who also has the ability to immediately raise his head thanks to the gem of Ekkelenkamp. The merits of the black and whites go beyond, because this time Tale does not pick the 'magata' from the bench and if he does not do so it is also thanks to the resistance of the guests, who even from time to time do not disdain dangerous restarts. In the end the draw does not budge and for the Azzurri the second slowdown in a row, after the power play earned 'from the sofa' on Thursday evening, risks being very heavy.

The official lineups

  Tale choose the usual 4-3-3 which sees lined up Meret, By Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan Jesus e Mazzocchi in defense: in midfield they are there Anguissa, Lobotka e McTominay, while the attack line includes politan, Lukaku e Neres. Runjaic opt for a 4-4-2 open from Sava, protected by Kristensen, jewelry, Solet e Kamara: on the median there are Atta, Karlstrom, Lovric ed Ekkelenkamp, while in attack they act Thauvin e Lucca. 

First half

  L'Udinese aggressive part especially thanks to a wild one Thauvin, who in the 3rd minute from the developments of a corner caused by an error in the construction phase of the Azzurri defence, unleashes a curling shot that Meret punches it out, granting another turn from the corner. The reply of the Napoli arrives at the 6th minute, when a cross from By Lorenzo find the header of McTominay and Sava blocks without problems. The intervention of the Juventus goalkeeper is more complicated shortly after, when politan the left-handed player explodes from outside. TheUdinese remains more dangerous and in the 10th minute goes just wide of the net with Lucca, who wins the physical duel with By Lorenzo and from the heart of the small area with a turn he incredibly sends the ball wide on a cross from Thauvin. At 16' the latter rewards the cut of Ekkelenkamp, which from a close position calls Meret to the foot intervention: from the subsequent corner, taken by Lovric, stands out jewelry, with the ball not going far out. After all these thrills, the Napoli he returns to attack, putting in several crosses that Sava always thwarts at best: then at 23' Neres filter for overlapping politan, who opens the left diagonal too much. At 25' jewelry stretches to the edge of the area Mazzocchi: Lukaku takes the free kick, which is cleared for a corner by the barrier. Ekkelenkamp, clashing with his head McTominay, sends the ball over the goal line again, but this time everything goes smoothly for the visiting defense. In the 34th minute theUdinese dangerous return from the corner: hits Thauvin and gores again jewelry, who this time sends it high. Just before Neres he had missed the hole for Lukaku on the developments of a restart. On the other side the cross of politan is soiled by Solet, becoming a perfect assist for McTominay, who from zero meters sends his shot wide. The Scotsman redeems himself in the 37th minute, heading in the corner kick taken by politan: the Friulians protest for some contact in their area, but in the end everything is regular. The best reaction isUdinese he prefers to entrust it to the pitch and to the great diagonal on the second post with which Ekkelenkamp equalises after a blunder by the home defence in cohabitation between Meret e Juan Jesus, which are not understood on a loose ball, and Mazzocchi, which makes it even worse, effectively giving it away Karlstrom the assist for the teammate. The recovery minutes are 2' and are opened by an error of Mazzocchi su Lucca, after searched by a filter of Thauvin upon which Meret it is providential in its exit, albeit with some shivers.

Second half

  The Friulians start off strong and immediately shoot Lovric, which with the right forces Meret to take refuge in the corner: on the other side Solet it is providential in the advance on Lukaku on the cross of Neres. At 49' Thauvin he presents himself at the flag and puts a parable in the middle that Anguissa thigh deviates towards Meret, who is not surprised by friendly fire. After a phase of apparent balance, at 64' Neres he throws a razor from outside that becomes a phone call for Sava: the latter at 67' sees the right foot from outside of McTominay flying high not far from his goal. At 69' Lukaku works with power on the edge of the area and concludes, finding only a corner from which developments Anguissa with his head he sends it to the bottom. The two coaches open the carousel of substitutions: the Napoli inserts ngonge, Simeon e Breakers for Anguissa, Lukaku e Breakers, while shore Udinese he gets up from the bench Payero, which notes Lovric. Thanks to the substitutions, the Azzurri raise their centre of gravity in search of the opening goal. After an unforgetable first half of the match, they try to take the stage Neres, who earns a corner that bears no fruit. Runjaic inserts Well done Iker e Heyzibue for Atta e Solet, while Tale lancia gilmour for Lobotka: from the guest bench instead he then gets up Zarraga for Ekkelenkamp. The ping pong of changes sees Tale play the card Okay for Neres. However, there is also theUdinese, who occasionally pops up in attack: in the 88th minute the Friulians earn a corner thanks to a deflection by By Lorenzo su Lucca, Searched by Thauvin. The injury time is 5, opened by a free kick taken by Breakers, which then dialogues with ngonge and try to serve McTominay, which hits badly before Okay commits a foul before the final whistle marinelli which establishes the second 1-1 in a row of the Napoli. As bitter as, if not more so than, that of theOlympic.