Roma – Napoli 0-1: Title defense through Osimen’s goal

The Napoli train didn’t stop at the “Olimpico” either. Luciano Spalletti’s side have been in crappy form since the start of the season and their Serie A matchday 11 clash with Roma on Sunday night (23/10) could not be an exception to the rules of football he laid down.

But after superb away wins against champions AC Milan and Lazio, the southern Italian club also tamed Jose Mourinho’s side, with the Partenopei winning the second-half golden treble thanks to a masterful 80th-minute goal from Victor Osimen.

This was the 7th straight win for the Partenopei in Serie A and the 12th in a row in all competitions, it being worth noting that after 3 draws and 1 loss, Spalletti won for the first time in his coaching career in a match against Mourinho in four their first dates.

The match

The first half didn’t have long stretches ahead of either home side and flowed as Jose Mourinho wanted, with Roma preventing Napoli from finding a rhythm and the Partenopei having as their best moment Lozano’s powerful shot in the 44th minute, which impressed Patricio was neutralized

In the second half, however, the situation was noticeably different as the pace picked up and Spalletti’s players created and missed chance after chance. Lozano in the 49th minute was beaten by Patricio, Kvaratshelia and Elmas saw their efforts end on the body of Smalling in the 53rd and 60th minutes respectively, while Napoli made new big ones with Jesus (61st) and Osimen (70th) as protagonists moments followed.

The allusion to missed chances didn’t deter Napoli, who continued to press and threatened only to be confirmed in the 80th minute when Osimen overtook Smalling and shot past Patricio with an unimaginable cross-right right to make it 0-1.

A result that lasted until the final, giving Napoli a great win (11-6 in favor of the finals, 4-0 at home), which is a clear statement of the title they have after the distant 1990 and golden era pursue by Diego Armando Maradona.

Roma: Patricio, Mancini, Smalling, Ibanez, Karsdorp (82nd Vina), Cristante, Camara (82nd Matic), Spinazola (85th Somurodov), Gianiolo, Pellegrini (82nd El Saarawi), Abraham (63rd Belotti)

NAPLES: Merret, Di Lorenzo, Kim, Jesus, Olivera, Endombele (57th Elmas), Lobotka, Zielinski (75th Gaetano), Lozano (75th Politano), Osimen, Kvaratskelia

The results of the 11th matchday:

• Juventus-Empoli 4-0 (8′ Ken, 55′ McKenney, 82′, 90+4′ Rabiot)
• Salernitana-Spezia 1-0 (48′ Majoki)
• Milan – Monza 4-1 (16′ 41′ Diath, 65′ Origi, 84′ Leao / 70′ Ranokia)
• Florence – Inter 3-4 (33 min Cabral, 60 Icone, 90 Jovic / 2 Barela, 15 min 73 Martines, 90+5 Mikitarian)
• Udinese – Turin 1-2 (26′ Deulofeu / 14′ Aina, 69′ Pellegri)
• Bologna – Lecce 2-0 (13′ Pen Arnautovic, 35′ Ferguson)
• Atalanta – Lazio 0-2 (10′ Jakani, 52′ Anderson)
• Rome – Naples 0-1 (80′ Osimen)
• 24/10 19:30 Cremonese-Sampdoria
• 24/10 21:45 Sassuolo-Verona

The highlights:

Juventus-Empoli 4-0

Salernitana 1-0 Spezia

Milan – Monza 4-1

Florence – Inter 3-4

Udinese – Torino 1-2

Atalanta – Lazio 0-2

Bologna 2-0 Lecce

The schedule for the 12th matchday:

• 29/10 16:00 Naples – Sassuolo
• 29/10 19:00 Lecce-Juventus
• 29/10 21:45 Inter-Samdoria
• 30/10 13:30 Empoli-Atalanta
• 30/10 16:00 Cremonese – Udinese
• 30/10 16:00 Spezia – Florence
• 30/10 19:00 Lazio – Salernitana
• 30/10 21:45 Turin – Milan
• 31/10 19:30 Verona – Rome
• 31/10 21:45 Monza-Bologna