Malen puts on a one-man show for ROMA, Spinazzola responds for NAPOLI, and Alisson Santos comes off the bench to secure a thrilling draw in a Champions League showdown.
Serie A Matchday 25 delivered fireworks at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, where Napoli and Roma played out an entertaining 2-2 draw with major implications in the race for Europe.
ROMA looked on course for a statement win behind an outstanding performance from Donyell Malen, but NAPOLI stayed alive thanks to Leonardo Spinazzola and the decisive impact off the bench from Alisson Santos.
First Half: Malen Breaks Through, Spinazzola Responds
The match exploded into life early. After just seven minutes, Malen punished a shaky Napoli back line, capitalizing on defensive uncertainty to give ROMA the lead.
NAPOLI struggled to contain the Dutch forward and suffered throughout the half, particularly through Rrahmani, but gradually grew into the contest. The equalizer arrived five minutes before the break when Leonardo Spinazzola capped a tireless display with a well-taken goal, restoring balance before halftime.
Second Half: Penalty Drama and a Late Equalizer
ROMA came out with renewed purpose and regained the lead in the 71st minute. Wesley won a penalty, and Malen stepped up once again, calmly converting from the spot to complete his brace.
NAPOLI, however, refused to fold. Antonio Conte turned to his bench, and the move paid off. In the 82nd minute, Alisson Santos made an immediate impact, finding the net to make it 2-2 and ignite the Maradona crowd.
ROMA goalkeeper Mile Svilar produced several key saves late on to deny a complete turnaround, ensuring the points were shared after a breathless finale.
Match Report
NAPOLI 2-2 ROMA
Scorers:
7’ Malen (ROMA)
40’ Spinazzola (NAPOLI)
71’ Malen (ROMA, pen.)
82’ Alisson Santos (NAPOLI)
NAPOLI (3-4-2-1):
Milinković-Savić; Beukema, Rrahmani (Olivera 70’), Buongiorno; Gutiérrez, Elmas (Gilmour 79’), Lobotka, Spinazzola (Alisson Santos 70’); Politano (Mazzocchi 84’), Vergara (Giovane 79’); Højlund.
Head coach: Conte.
ROMA (3-4-2-1):
Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Ghilardi; Çelik, Pisilli (El Aynaoui 64’), Cristante, Wesley (Tsimikas 73’); Zaragoza (Soulé 46’), Pellegrini (Venturino 64’); Malen (Vaz 73’).
Head coach: Gasperini.
Referee: Colombo
Bookings: Mancini (ROMA), Rrahmani (NAPOLI)
Red cards: None
