Stronger than the emergency. A great Napoli went 1-0 at AC Milan in the postponement of matchday 18 of Serie A and hooked the Rossoneri into second place in the standings with 39 points. Inter smiles, which with this result mathematically graduates as winter champion with one turn to spare and is +4 behind their pursuers. At San Siro the match was decided by a goal from Elmas after only 5 ‘, then Milan tried in every way to reach a draw but without being able to pierce Ospina’s door. In reality the Rossoneri succeeded once, in the 91st minute with Kessie, but the Var canceled Giroud for offside. Proof of great character and personality of Spalletti’s team, which stands out despite the heavy absences of Insigne, Fabian Ruiz, Koulibaly and Oshimen. Milan pays for the wet powders of their strikers, in particular Ibrahimovic appeared too isolated for a long time without Leao’s presence and with a Brahim Diaz still behind in condition. Giroud’s entry into the final was not enough, he was the protagonist on the negative despite his goal on Kessie’s network.
In Milan, Pioli had to renounce Theo Hernandez and lined up Ballo Touré on the left. In attack Ibrahimovic is the central striker supported by the trident Messias, Diaz and Krunic given the absence of Leao. In the midfield Tonali and Kessie confirmed, like Romagnoli, Tomori and Florenzi in defense. In Naples, Spalletti chooses Petagna in attack with Lozano, Zielinski and Elmas as support given the absence of Insigne. Only bench for Mertens. In defense, space for the couple Rrahmani-Juan Jesus, with Di Lorenzo moved to the left given the absence of Mario Rui with Malcuit on the right. In the middle of the field Anguissa and Demme. Ready to go and after five minutes Napoli took the lead with a nice header from Elmas, from a corner beaten by Zielinski. AC Milan hit hard to react, so much so that after ten minutes the Azzurri even close to doubling with Anguissa. On the occasion, Napoli also asks for a penalty for an alleged touch of Anguissa’s hands, but the referee lets it continue. Shortly after the quarter of an hour Milan’s first ring, which almost equalized with a header by Ibrahimovic of a whisker to the side on a cross from the left by Ballo Touré. Pioli’s team fails to raise the pace, Napoli controls without suffering and when they regain the ball they are always ready to restart with the speed of Lozano and Elmas. Shortly after the half hour, Milan jumped again with Florenzi, who touched the post with a great left footed shot from a distance. Before the break, a double opportunity for Lozano on the counterattack, stopped first by Romagnoli and then by Tomori with two desperately rejected.
In the second half the forcing of Milan continues, dangerous after five minutes with a powerful left by Ibrahimovic deflected for a corner by Ospina. Messias then tries with a left-footed tirocross with the ball ending on the side. But Naples is the best opportunity at this stage, with the former Petagna who all alone in front of Maignan is closed in recovery by Tomori. Dangerous Azzurri again in the 60th minute with Elmas anticipated by Romagnoli close to Maignan, on a cross from the right by Malcuit. Pioli plays the Giroud and Saelemaekers cards in place of the anonymous Diaz and Krunic. Milan tries to shake himself, Messias tries his left foot from distance but the ball is high. It is then the turn of the newly entered Giroud to try the turn of the head, still the ball is high. A quarter of an hour from the end, Napoli is seen again, Petagna kicks high with his left from the edge. In Milan’s final assault on Ospina’s goal, Ibra tries to take advantage of Anguissa’s hole but does not control an excellent ball all alone in front of Ospina. By the time Napoli smelled the scent of victory, on the umpteenth scrum in the middle of the area it was Kessie who found the winning paw for the 1-1 Rossoneri. The scream of San Siro, however, is strangled in the throat by the Var, who cancels the goal for an active offside by Giroud. Napoli breathes a sigh of relief and takes home three very heavy points in the Scudetto key.