Substitute Philip Billing scored a crucial 87th-minute equalizer for Napoli, securing a 1-1 draw against Serie A leaders Inter Milan at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Saturday. The result keeps the title race finely poised, with Inter holding a slender one-point lead over Napoli.
Federico Dimarco had given defending champions Inter the lead in the 22nd minute with a superbly executed free-kick that curled around the Napoli wall and nestled in the far corner, leaving goalkeeper Alex Meret stranded.
The opening stages of the match were characterized by a nervy and scrappy affair, with frequent interruptions for player treatment. Dimarco’s set-piece strike injected life into the contest.
Napoli, stung by the goal, responded positively and began to exert pressure on the Inter defense. Romelu Lukaku fired into the side-netting after a long pass, and Giacomo Raspadori had a chance to equalize but took a heavy touch, allowing the ball to run wide with Lukaku waiting in the center. Just before halftime, Lukaku’s close-range shot was blocked by Alessandro Bastoni.
The second half saw Napoli dominate possession, laying siege to the Inter penalty area. Stanislav Lobotka fired over the bar after a one-two with Lukaku. Scott McTominay then forced a save from Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez, while at the other end, Meret had to be alert to clear a dangerous counter-attack with Denzel Dumfries threatening.
Napoli, seeking to recover from a disappointing February that saw them relinquish the top spot to Inter (three draws and one defeat), introduced Billing as a substitute. The Danish midfielder, signed on loan from Bournemouth in January, made an immediate impact.
In the 87th minute, Billing, played in by Lobotka, saw his initial shot saved by Martinez’s leg, but reacted quickly to poke home the rebound, sparking celebrations among the home fans and keeping Napoli firmly in the title hunt.
The draw leaves Inter on 58 points and Napoli on 57. Atalanta remain in third place with 55 points following their 0-0 draw with Venezia on Saturday. The result underscores the tight and competitive nature of the Serie A title race.
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