NAPOLI HAVE THE Milan giants breathing down their necks in the Serie A title race after throwing away a two-goal lead late at Sassuolo to draw 2-2 on Wednesday.
Luciano Spalletti’s side looked set to maintain their three-point lead at the top following second-half strikes from Dries Mertens and Fabian Ruiz.
But a superb finish from Gianluca Scamacca with 19 minutes remaining put the hosts back in the game and Gian Marco Ferrari snatched a draw in the final minute with a bullet header.
AC Milan are just one point back in second and Inter Milan another point behind in third following their respective wins over Genoa and Spezia.
Sassuolo thought they had won it in a frantic finale in which Spalletti was sent off when Gregiore Defrel slotted home.
But with the home players and fans celebrating wildly, the referee was called to check a Domenico Berardi foul on Amir Rrahmani and the goal was ruled out.
“It would have been a shame not to draw a match that I think we played on equal footing with Napoli, we kept playing at 2-0 and we deserved to draw,” said Sassuolo coach Alessio Dionisi to DAZN.
To make matters worse for Napoli, who were already without Victor Osimhen and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, they lost Ruiz and defensive lynchpin Kalidou Koulibaly to muscle injuries, and Spalletti suggested the pair would not be available for the visit of high-flying Atalanta.
“He (Ruiz) is having issues as is Koulibaly,” he said to DAZN.
“It’ll be difficult to get them back in time, but we’ll see because we have good doctors here.”
Milan took full advantage with their 3-0 stroll at Genoa despite starting centre-back Simon Kjaer being stretchered off early with a knee injury, while Inter ran out 2-0 home winners over Spezia.
Junior Messias continued his incredible rise with a brilliantly taken brace either side of half-time at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris after Zlatan Ibrahimovic had curled in a perfect free-kick to give Milan a 10th minute lead.
Brazilian Messias, a 30-year-old former fridge deliveryman who is only in his second ever Serie A season, looped in a distance header in first half stoppage-time to double the away side’s lead before rolling home a delicate finish in the 61st minute to ensure the win following straight league defeats to Fiorentina and Sassuolo.
His double comes after he struck the winning goal at Atletico Madrid which keeps alive Milan’s hopes of making the Champions League last 16 ahead of the visit of Liverpool next week.
“What happened in Madrid is the past and what’s needed now is consistency,” Messias said to DAZN.
“We’ve struggled and lost points recently so it was important to win and play well.”
Roberto Gagliardini and Lautaro Martinez struck in each half for Inter at a freezing San Siro as Simone Inzaghi’s side extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 10 games.
The win was their fourth on the bounce with a much-changed line-up as Inzaghi shuffled his deck with a host of defensive injuries and a trip to Roma coming on Saturday.
Spezia have conceded a whopping 34 goals in 15 games and were brushed aside by an Inter side which was without several starters and in second gear for much of the night.
Bologna are eighth, level on 24 points with Juventus and Fiorentina after Mattias Svanberg fired them to a 1-0 win over Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
Swede Svanberg struck a beautiful winner from distance to move Sinisa Mihajlovic’s side to within one point of fifth-placed Roma.
The result is also great news for Atalanta, who after their win over Venezia on Tuesday are six points away from their nearest challenger for fourth and the final Champions League spot.
Well he pretty much got hit by a car in the Wales game and was 100% in minutes !! He could get over anything in 48 hours !!
And if I remember correctly, the car is a write-off.
Hopefully if won’t spread through the camp.
I can’t believe they’re out camping in this weather! Mad stuff!
In BOD we trust
Too much partying with Seanie Fitz Bod???
http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/seanie-fitzpatrick-anglo-irish-went-2671143
http://www.contactmusic.com/photo/sean-fitzpatrick-brian-odriscoll-testimonial-dinner_3932733
I’m sure Bod will recover- he’s seen worse. Great to see Donnacha back in camp and driving up the standards. Sounds like Schmidt has everyone playing for the collective.
Can’t remember Ireland ever being able to lose a match and have such an outstanding points difference that the championship was still on.
This, and Cole’s absence makes me quitely confident.
Roll on that flight on friday. Twickers here we come.
Who starts instead of O’Driscoll. Candidates are Marshall (a 12), Henshaw (Inexperienced / better fullback) Cave (untried) McFadden (better for sub role / better winger), Bowe (not fully fit / untried). I assume McFadden as cover last week is the likely call. Not sure if there is any outstanding candidate for this game but Cave as a natural 13 nearly gets my vote. When Payne becomes eligible in autumn he leapfrogs them all. Hopefully O’driscoll recovers because without him an edgy win will become a narrow loss
If BOD out has to be Cave at 13, im a big Henshaw fan but he better suited to FB and his best performances for Connacht has been there
I’d agree with you on Cave. He’s a natural 13 who is in great form. If you can’t get in scoring the way he has been provincially this year, then you’re forever doomed.
That said, I’d also like to see Madigan go in the centre. I continue to believe that might be his way to break in.
Cave is injured.
Cat amongst the pigeons here but I would think there’s a real chance of Darcy to 13 and Marshall at 12.
There’s a few options, joe had used Darcy at 13 before, pushing Marshall to 12.
He could go for any of henshaw, cave or McFadden and of course joe being joe there’s always the option he has up his sleeve.
If we can manage without PoC on the morning if a game then we can do the same without bod with a weeks notice.
Big difference between England and Scotland though Chris. I’d prefer to have BoD there before any one else. Defensive ability if no other reason. I think it would upset the team a bit too.
Who’s Bug?
And this is the start of the mind games.. Latest score = 1-0 to schmidt
Darcy to 13 and Luke Marshall at 12 if BOD isn’t fit? If I remember correctly Darcy made his debut in Paris in 2004 at 13 when BOD was injured
Trimble can cover outside centre, McFadden to the wing Henshaw to the bench.
It will be Henshaw if BO D is out, good game to try him out. If your good enough your old enough as they say
Odriscolls vertigo playing up again me thinks.
Does anyone here know where the Ireland rugby team usually train? I know that Leinster and Munster have their own facilities at the University College grounds and the Ireland football team uses Malahide’s facilities at Ganon Park. Anyone?
Who’s bug?