Naples: Napoli had the best goalscoring opportunities but it was Roma who claimed a 3-1 victory in the big Serie A clash at the Stadio San Paolo on Sunday night.
A third-minute own goal from Morgan De Sanctis and a second-half strike by Pablo Osvaldo gave the visitors breathing space before Marek Hamsik and Fabio Simplicio exchanged late goals.
Luis Enrique’s side started off on the attack and took the lead after just three minutes. Hugo Campagnaro and Paolo Cannavaro were beaten by Lamela, who took the ball to the byline before attempting to send a cross into the Napoli area. Salvatore Aronica got a touch on it and blocked the view of Morgan De Sanctis, who turned it into his own net.
Straight after conceding, Napoli were on the attack with Hamsik driving the ball into the area but, luckily for Roma, Maarten Stekelenburg showed safer hands than his opposite number. Napoli’s first real chance of the game came in the 20th minute when Gokhan Inler saw his effort deflected out for a corner.
The Azzurri should have drawn level soon after when Juan Zuniga picked up an overhit pass on the left-hand side and did well to send the ball low across the Roma six-yard box. Hamsik was at the back post with an open goal but the uneven goalmouth caused an awkward bounce and the Slovakian’s shot went over the bar.
Napoli continued to pressure the Roma goal and had a number of chances to equalise, notably when Lavezzi hit the post in the 34th minute, but it were the visitors who would go in at half-time with the lead.
Mazzarri’s men almost drew level soon after the restart when Edinson Cavani poked in a Christian Maggio header. The celebrations were cut short though as the referee had blown the whistle for a push by Maggio.
Napoli continued to attack but could not find a way of getting the ball into the Roma goal, and Luis Enrique’s men doubled their lead in the 59th minute when, against the run of play, Francesco Totti sent a cross into the Napoli area. It was met by Osvaldo, who managed to slot the ball past De Sanctis and into the net.
The home side finally found their way back into the game in the 82nd minute when Zuniga’s well-timed pass was picked up by Hamsik, who slotted the ball in from a tight angle.
The goal meant the Giallorossi would endure a nerve-racking last 10 minutes, and Napoli thought they had equalised in the 88th minute but Cavani was deemed to have been offside when he shot.
Roma made certain of their victory in the 91st minute when Fabio Simplicio’s deflected shot found its way over De Sanctis and into the Napoli net.
The win took Roma up to eighth place on the ladder, and level on points with sixth-placed Napoli. The midweek fixtures see Napoli host Genoa, while Roma travel to Bologna.
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